Horowhenua District Council are required by law to have their Annual Plan 2020/2021 in place by 30 June 2020. However the Covid-19 crisis has turned the world upside down, so the normal consultation process has gone awry, and indeed, the Plan itself may need to change. Consultation continues though, so please take a look at the plan and have your say. Submissions close at 5pm on Friday 24 April 2020.
As a result of Covid-19 the Annual Plan consultation process will be different to previous years. However, we encourage you to still submit and contact us via phone or email if you have any questions.
Source: Annual Plan 2020/2021 – What’s Our Plan? – Horowhenua District Council.
That page also has full information about various ways to make your submission which include online or by post.
There are two important documents available from that page or from here: ‘What’s Our Plan 2020/2021’ Annual Plan – Consultation Document (PDF, 6MB) and Draft Annual Plan 2020/2021 (PDF, 8MB).
Note that your Rates may change. Check the Rates Calculator (Indicative Rates) for rates on your property.
We haven’t yet read the materials, but at first glance nothing stands out beyond possible rates changes and some road works by Emma Drive. If we see anything significant we’ll let you know. If you spot anything please leave a comment here.
The Council said in an email:
The timing of the COVID-19 lockdown has been challenging. We drafted and adopted this Annual Plan for consultation prior to the pandemic, therefore we expect the draft will look different to where we end up when the Annual Plan is finalised.
Our Councillor, Christine Mitchell, said in an email:
I would expect that the final Annual Plan will look very different to this draft. However, a lot of that will have to do with your feedback. What would you expect Council to be doing as we move forward, possibly with Covid 19, and in the aftermath as the community comes to terms with a different economic reality?
Some of you will be carrying on with your businesses with the added pressure of Covid 19 restraints. Some of you will have more time on your hands. It is important for individuals and groups to voice their thoughts to Council.