The Wanganui District Council has prepared its Draft 10-Year Plan 2009-2019 – and now you have the chance to have your say.

The Draft 10-Year Plan is open for public submissions from 14 April 2009 until 21 May 2009.

A Draft 10-Year Plan Summary will be posted to everyone registered on the Wanganui electoral roll. This document outlines the key information in the Draft 10-Year Plan.

Referendum '09 is being held in conjunction with the Draft 10-Year Plan consultation. Voting papers, and a reply-paid envelope, will be included in the pack posted to registered voters in late April.

Issues for Referendum '09 include:

• Spelling of Wanganui
• Relocation of the Visitor Information Centre
• A small levy to promote Wanganui nationally
• Potential sale of Energy Direct, the retail trading arm of Wanganui Gas
• Potential transfer of ownership of part or all of Council's pensioner housing complexes
• Preferred rates increase for 2009/10

If you want more detailed information about the Draft 10-Year Plan 2009-2019, copies of the plan are available:

• From the Customer Services Desk at the Council building, 101 Guyton Street, or by phoning Customer Services on (06) 349 0001.
• From the Wanganui District Library.
• On this page
• By emailing us

Submissions can be made in the following ways:

Post to: Draft 10-Year Plan Submissions, Wanganui District Council, PO Box 637, Wanganui
Fax to: (06) 349 0000
Deliver to: Customer Services Desk, Wanganui District Council, 101 Guyton Street, Wanganui
Email us
Online

Please remember to include your name, contact details and whether you want to speak about your submission at the hearings on June 2 and 4.

All submissions will be acknowledged and considered by the Council. Copies of each submission will be made publicly available when the Council considers submissions.

Submissions close at 5.00pm on Thursday, 21 May 2009.

Rating options for 2009/10 – you choose!

Every year the council must decide what level of rates increase to set, balancing the community's ability to pay with the levels and range of services council provides. The council receives 58% of its income from rates and the Draft 10-Year Plan has been developed using an average rates increase of 4.9% for 2009/10.

However, the rates increase for 2009/10 has not actually been decided. For the first time, the council is asking, through Referendum '09, what you think would be a fair rates increase.

The council has developed three rating options; a Low Option (3% rates increase), a Medium Option (approximately 5% rates increase) and a Higher Option (7% rates increase). There is also an option in Referendum '09 to let council decide the level of rates increase.

The Low Option (3%) would exclude or defer some of the items outlined in the Draft 10-Year Plan 2009-2019; for example, the Sarjeant Gallery exterior cladding in 2009/10 and water pipe replacements in 2010/11. Under this scenario the average residential rate for 2009/10 will be $1,681.

The Medium Option (approximately 5%) is the rates increase that the Draft 10-Year Plan 2009-2019 has been developed around and would deliver the range of services and activities as outlined in the Plan. Under this scenario the average residential rate for 2009/10 will be $1,712.

The Higher Option (7%) would include the Medium Option and also add the riverfront pathway from Bates Street to Moutoa Quay as a capital project. The total cost of the project is $2M funded evenly over three years from 2009/10 to 2011/12. If this section of the riverfront pathway is constructed, it will link the pathway and boardwalk from the Cobham Bridge to the Waimarie Jetty, with the pathway from the Dublin Street Bridge to Bates Street, enhancing access to the riverfront for the community. Under this scenario the average residential rate for 2009/10 will be $1,747.

Further information about the rating options can be found in the Draft 10-Year Plan 2009-2019. If you want to have your say on the rating options for 2009/10 make sure you vote in Referendum '09.

Whanganui River Road residents are invited to attend a meeting with Wanganui District Council and Wanganui Rural Community Board representatives to discuss whether they wish to continue or discontinue the Special Roading Rate for 2009/10 rating year.

When: 2.00pm Tuesday, 21 April 2009
Where: Ranana Hall

We look forward to meeting the Whanganui River Road community and hearing its views.

Fundraising for Hospice and Wanganui Festival of Glass. Read more (PDF, 54KB).

Details of the following vacancies are available on this page:

Parking Officer
Applications close 23 April 2009

Mobile Library Driver
Applications close 23 April 2009

We welcome members of the public to attend our meetings

Council – Monday April 27
- The Council will consider the reports from Committee meetings held in April along with Reports Direct to Council.

Youth – Monday, May 4 (4.00pm)

Unless otherwise noted, meetings are held at 3.00pm in the Council Chamber, 1st Floor, Municipal Office Building, 101 Guyton Street, Wanganui.

Agendas are available at the Customer Services Counter, Municipal Office Building, 101 Guyton Street, Wanganui, and the Wanganui District Library two working days prior to the meeting.