Every three years, we review and update our ten-year plan to ensure we're on track to meet the evolving needs of our residents. This year we’re trying to strike a balance between affordability for our community and investing in our long-term growth.
We're working on our Long-Term Plan (LTP) for the years 2024 to 2034, and we asked the community for feedback on our plans between 2 April to 2 May 2024. Consultation has now closed and we appreciate all of the feedback that has been provided throughout this time.
You can find a timeline on the right-hand side of this page for next steps with the Long-Term Plan. If you have any queries related to the LTP, please contact policy@whanganui.govt.nz or call us on (06) 349 0001.
What is the Long-Term Plan?
Think of the Long-Term Plan as our roadmap for managing and delivering essential services, infrastructure, and community projects. It's our blueprint for the future, outlining how we'll allocate resources and funding to support our growing district. It shows the whole picture of how activities are managed, delivered and funded – which has a flow on effect on our rates.
Read the Long-Term Plan Consultation Document(PDF, 12MB)
We're doing things a little differently this year. The above link will give you the opportunity to submit on the Long-Term Plan, as well as proposed changes to parking, fees and charges, development contributions and our rates postponement/remission policies.
Why is this Long-Term Plan different?
We understand that the current cost of living crisis is putting pressure on whānau right across the country. Costs have risen for councils as well, due primarily to the three I’s – high inflation, interest costs, and insurance.
The reality is to keep up with rising costs, we need to increase our rates next year. The rates rise for Whanganui was initially estimated at close to 17 percent, but after a lot of hard mahi and deferrals wherever possible, we are now at 10.6 percent. For this Long-Term Plan, we’re working hard to strike a balance between keeping rates affordable for our community, while still investing in our future.
Why are rates increasing?
What is the council's six-point plan?
In response to these difficult times, we’ve come up with a six-point plan which involves growing Whanganui’s population, improving efficiency, looking for alternative funding for projects, cutting council services, selling assets to repay debt and identifying sources of non-rates revenue.
You can read more about our six-point plan in the full Consultation Document(PDF, 12MB) .
Why is my feedback so important?
This Long-Term Plan has a number of really important decisions, and we need to hear from the community on what you’d like us to prioritise. Specifically, we're seeking feedback on two key areas: what service cuts we should make to keep rates affordable, and what long-term investments we should proceed with for the future of our District.
These choices will affect all of us, so we would love to hear from as many people in the community as we can.