NRC Annual Plan adopted

29 June, 2022

The increased cost of a new council maritime vessel and moves to boost and improve the Whangarei CityLink public transport service are among key proposals to be funded via the Northland Regional Council’s 2022/23 Annual Plan.

Chair Penny Smart says a month-long consultation on the plan ran until Friday April 29. The council had deliberated on the proposed changes and public feedback was received on May 24.

The Annual Plan – formally adopted by council on June 29 – identifies funding variations for council activities planned in its Long Term Plan 2021-31, highlighting the impact on council’s budget and regional rates.

The Annual Plan adds an extra $1.7 million in capital expenditure to replace council’s maritime vessel ‘Waikare’, to be funded by lending from the Local Government Funding Agency and repaid from the council services rate over 15 years.

The plan also adds approximately $188,000 of additional operational expenditure to increase and improve the Whangarei CityLink public transport service.

“The proposed changes increase the total region-wide rate take in 2022/23 from the 13.79 percent approved in the LTP 2021-31, to 13.89 percent (0.1 percent difference).”

Chair Smart says the Whangarei Transport rate increases by an extra $4.80 (approximately) per Whangarei ratepayer, for a year-on-year average increase of just over approximately $65 for Whangarei ratepayers.

“For Kaipara and Far North ratepayers, the 2022/23 annual average increase remains at $48 per rating unit.”

n More detailed information about the Annual Plan is available via nrc.govt.nz/annualplan2022