Livestream Q&A will answer community questions on proposed Long Term Plan

Central Hawke’s Bay residents will have an opportunity to ask the council’s Mayor and Chief Executive their questions on the proposed Long Term Plan in a livestream Q&A session taking place between 5pm and 6pm next Thursday, 25 March 2021.

The Q&A session hosted by Mayor Alex Walker and Chief Executive Monique Davidson will stream live on the council’s facebook page and is a chance for residents to have their questions answered and to find out more about proposals in the Long Term Plan.

Residents can ask questions directly in the comments section while the Q&A session is taking place, and can also submit questions ahead of the live session by emailing them to facingthefacts@chbdc.govt.nz or by visiting the council’s website www.chbdc.govt.nz/facingthefacts .

Community engagement evenings are also being held in across the district, with events still to come in Kairakau, Ongaonga, Porangahau and Takapau. These events give people the chance to meet with their local councillors, find out more about the challenges faced by the district, proposed solutions, and how to make a submission.

Mayor Alex Walker says, “This Long Term Plan is about us facing the facts, so we can get on with addressing the challenges we face and continue building a thriving future for Central Hawke’s Bay and our generations to come.

“Our reality is that we are facing a complex set of issues that are all coming to a head over the next 10 year period. Unprecedented growth, increasing costs and legislative requirements, underinvestment, and ageing assets which means that we now require major investment in nearly every aspect of our infrastructure and services. In particular, our focus has been on the scale of investment required in waste water and drinking water, but it is impacting everything from playgrounds and halls to reserves and public toilets, as well as the updating of our 20-year-old District Plan. These are the facts and it’s time to face them.”

“Even if people don’t have a particular question in mind, I’d encourage them to jump online at 5pm next Thursday 25 March to view the live Q&A and find out more.”

This LTP sets out a very challenging and hard road for the district, as the council grapples with catching up on decades of underinvestment in essential infrastructure and assets.

Increases to rates, increases to the council’s overall debt limits and increases to development contributions are all being proposed in a bid to face the district’s challenges head on, and remedy a dire state of aged and failing infrastructure.

The Plan also proposes to extend kerbside recycling to rural townships and gives residents the option of introducing a wheelie bin service for refuse and / or recycling.

Residents have until 31 March 2021 to submit their views on the council’s proposed Long Term Plan (LTP) consultation document, which outlines some of the district’s most confronting challenges of our time.  When making a submission, residents can choose to present at a council hearing.

Community feedback will be used to develop the Long Term Plan 2021-2031, which will come into operation from July 2021.

Further information:

• Upcoming Community engagement events and site tour dates:
  • Ongaonga Town Hall Wed 17 Mar 5.30-7.30pm
  • Porangahau Town Hall Thu 18 Mar 5.30-7.30pm
  • Landfill and three waters tours Saturday 20 March bookings essential visit our website or call 06 857 8060
  • Kairakau Beach Campground Hall Sun 21 Mar 9am-11am
  • Takapau Town Hall Wed 24 Mar 5.30-7.30pm
  • Facebook live Q&A, Thu 25 Mar, 5pm-6pm
  • The LTP sets out the council’s activities, costs, and required revenue and rates, for the next ten years. It’s reviewed every three years, with the last review taking place in 2018.
  • The Council consulted with communities in August 2020 as part of the ‘LTP pre-engagement’ phase. This was an opportunity to ‘check-in’ with the community and ensure that what the council deemed as being a priority, still aligned with the views of the community. Community feedback has been incorporated into the draft LTP consultation document.
  • Community consultation on the Long Term Plan 2021-2031 is scheduled to take place from 1 to 31 March 2021.
  • The council is also conducting a review of its water bylaws in the month of March. For more information visit the Three Waters Bylaw webpage

17 March 2021

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