Submissions close at 4.00 pm on 19 April 2021.
This is a time of enormous change. The Horowhenua District Council’s Long-Term Plan for the next 20 years affects the Rates we pay, what our communities look like, and how we live our lives. The Councillors want us to give them guidance on how to shape the next 20 years.
Be sure to check the section called Supporting Information
to be able to see details of the plans and the planned spending. In particular look at Activity Statements (PDF, 6MB) for details of planned spending on all items including land transport (starts P64), solid waste (starts P80, includes recycling and landfill), community facilities (starts P96, includes pools, libraries). [OK, I stopped here — there are a lot of areas to look at.]
Page 144 and following mention a Waikawa Beach walkway
. We’ll see if we can find out what that’s about. The pedestrian bridge upgrade is mention on P140.
The WBRA won’t be making a submission on behalf of the community so it’s particularly important that we each take some time to see what the plans are and then to tell the Council what we think.
We can tell them what we think of the plans in several ways: fill in the online form, post or deliver a letter to the offices, or write an email and send to ltp@horowhenua.govt.nz. If you write your own letter or email please state the topic, your views on that topic and why you think that way about that topic.
Also see our blog post on this.
A bit of context
The Council are making plans in the context of:
- A forecast (roughly) doubling of the number of people who live in Horowhenua by 2041, along with a huge growth in population in the larger Wellington and Kāpiti region.
- Covid-19 and how it is affecting things or will affect things.
- Climate change.
- Changing Government regulation and action on fresh water, sewage and stormwater (the Three Waters).
- The Expressways between Wellington and Ōtaki and from Ōtaki to north of Levin.
- A lot of infrastructure in the Horowhenua is old, in poor repair and in need of significant maintenance or renewal. Growth will require new infrastructure.
What’s up for discussion
- Development contributions: should property developers contribute to costs such as the water pipes, roads etc their development will require?
- Changes to how residences, farms and rural businesses are rated.
- Changes to the Land Transport Targeted Rate: should there be a change to what proportions are paid by businesses and households?
- The Foxton Pool: we all contribute towards this facility in our rates and it needs major maintenance or repair, or even to be closed.
Each topic has implications for our rates, and for how our larger community functions.
Check what your future rates are likely to be.
Get information
The Council are running drop-in sessions where you can ask questions: Tuesday 6 April – 4pm to 7pm – Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō Main Space, or Wednesday 7 April – 3pm to 6pm – Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom Main Space, or Monday 12 April – 4pm to 6pm – Te Whare Oranga, Shannon.
Note: many thanks to Councillor Christine Mitchell who attended the Easter Committee meeting of the WBRA and clarified not only what is up for discussion in the Long-Term Plan, but why we should be concerned. She also pointed out the importance of looking at the supporting documents, such as the Activity Statements linked above.