Have your say on Napier’s draft Annual Plan for 2020/21 from next Thursday

Published: 11 June 2020

We’re counting down to next Thursday when consultation opens for Napier City Council’s draft Annual Plan 2020/21 – and we want to hear from you.

At its meeting today Council adopted the consultation document for the draft Annual Plan 2020/21, and supporting documents, ready for consultation beginning next Thursday, 18 June.

Water remains the number one priority, specifically the city’s drinking water supply and network, and the wastewater outfall. The Council’s recovery plan, the roll-out of wheelie bins for kerbside rubbish collection, and the return of the Napier Library to its original location are also topics for feedback along with a proposed 4.8% rates rise and target relief to support those in the community who may be struggling financially.

The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent restrictions delayed the original consultation dates for the coming financial year’s Annual Plan, and the financial impact – reduced income and increased costs, for example, for recovery - forced a rewrite of some sections of the document.

It has also altered the way consultation will be conducted, with Napier residents and ratepayers encouraged to go online to participate in Facebook live chat sessions. No community meetings have been planned, in case things change and restrictions on public gatherings come back into play.

Hard copies of the consultation document will be available to view at the Customer Service Centre and both libraries, where people can drop off their submissions, although online submissions are encouraged. People can request a hard copy to be sent to them by calling our Customer Services team. All information can be viewed, and submissions made at www.sayitnapier.nz

”I am pleased to present the items for consultation to the Napier community. We haven’t lost sight of our priorities, such as our water programme, and have also recognised that some people are facing tough times. We are keen to find out what people think of our recovery plan with packages to help businesses, community groups and residents,” says Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise.

An annual plan focuses on what a council intends to do over the 12 months of a financial year, and how these projects, operations and services will be paid for. This leads into the Long Term Plan, which is reviewed every three years, and is next due for review in 2021.

Key dates:

• Consultation opens on Thursday 18 June and closes at 5pm on Thursday 16 July
• Events include three live chat sessions on Facebook – 23 June, 11.15am, and 2 July and 9 July, both at 7pm
• The Annual Plan meeting/hearing will be held on 12-13 August
• The Annual Plan 2020/21 is due to be adopted, and rates set on Thursday 27 August.

There are four other items which open for consultation on 18 June. They are:

• The Rates Remission Policy – the proposed changes would allow Council to refund or discount rates and rates-related penalties in some cases
• The Rates Postponement Policy – proposed changes will in some cases mean ratepayers can delay their rates without penalty
• Joining the Local Government Funding Agency (Special Consultative Procedure) – being a member would give the Council the option to access the best lending rates
• Submarine Pipeline Protection (in conjunction with Hastings District Council and Pan Pac Forest Products Ltd) – applying for a protection zone above their ocean based wastewater pipelines, to prevent future damage, and giving each organisation legal protection of their pipelines.

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