Report to COUNCIL for decision

Transcription

1 14/203 Subject: Prepared by: 2014/15 Annual Plan and Amendments to Council s Rates Remission Policy - Adopting Report Sally Fogle (Planning & Performance Advisor) Meeting Date: 26 June 2014 Report to COUNCIL for decision SUMMARY Council has completed its formal consultation process for both the 2014/15 Annual Plan and Amendments to the Council s Rates Remission Policy. Overall the consultation process was positive and the hearings process ran smoothly. In the 2014/15 year a 1.9% increase in rates revenue is required. This is less than the 5.4% increase forecast in the Ten Year Plan. The Annual Plan and Amendments have been prepared in accordance with Local Government Act requirements. The final step in the process is to formally adopt both the Annual Plan and the Amendments, thereby ratifying resolutions made during the Hearings process that took place 26/27 May Attached for adoption is the amended 2014/15 Annual Plan, including the amended Rates Remissions Policy. RECOMMENDATIONS That the Council 1. receives the report 2. adopts the Gisborne District Council 2014/15 Annual Plan 3. adopts the amendments to Council s Rates Remission Policies with changes to come into effect from 1 July Sally Fogle Planning & Performance Advisor Nedine Thatcher Swann Group Manager Community Planning & Development Keywords: 2014/15 Annual Plan, Amendment, Rates Remission Policy, Hearings, A Page 1 of 11

2 1. BACKGROUND Consultation on both the 2014/15 Annual Plan and the Amendments to Rates Remission Policies has complied with the special consultative procedures detailed in Sections 83, 85, 89 of the Local Government Act 2002 (LGA 2002). This involved circulating and making available hard and electronic copies of both the draft Annual Plan and a draft Annual Plan Summary (both of which contained information on the proposed Amendments) and consulting on their content for no less than one month. Council s Annual Plan complies with Part 2 of Schedule 10 and Section 95 of the Local Government Act. The Amendment complies with Sections 93 and 94 and Part 1 of Schedule 10 of the Local Government Act. 2. DISCUSSION and OPTIONS 2.1 Annual Plan Consultation Process and Resulting Changes Council received 183 submissions to the draft 2014/15 Annual Plan and heard 30 submitters through the Hearings process. A report summarising the consultation process carried out during March/April and the resulting actions was considered by Council at the Annual Plan Hearings (Report 14/183). Matters that were raised by submitters and at the Community Update Meetings included: Support for a funding increase for Tourism Eastland; support for the Cycling Advisory Group s vision of a safe place for children to cycle by 2019 and a designated fund for cycling; requests for support for tourism and culture activities including cruise ship hosting, Te Ha (Cook s Anniversary celebrations) and human sundials; requests from community groups for Council support for local revitalisation projects; requests for Council to support rail initiatives; concern with road maintenance or requests for better roading infrastructure was raised in most areas; requests for increases in grant funding including Surf Lifesaving NZ, Enviroschools and Motu Cycle Trails; general support for the major projects, although some concerns with the proposed materials to be used for the Waikanae - Midway walkway were raised; comments regarding Council polices including psychoactive substances, alcohol, Sports Park Management and freedom camping, which will inform the relevant consultation processes. Council made its deliberations after hearing all the presenters and considering all 183 submissions and the actions from the community update meetings. The consultation process resulted in a number of changes to the Annual Plan. These are detailed in the attached Change Sheet. Four funding decisions were made: Approved a one-off grant of $45,000 to Tourism Eastland for the cruise ship and mobile phone application projects for 2014/15 and to inflation-adjust funding levels by 2% in the Tourism Eastland service level agreement for the next three years (including 2014/15); approved the officer recommendation in response to submitter 175 (Surf Life Saving NZ) to increase funding to Surf Life Saving New Zealand by $3,000 up to $70,000; A Page 2 of 11

3 to bring forward the $100,000 allocated to the Te Ha Sestercentennial celebrations in 2018 in the Long Term Plan to enable the Te ha Trust to commence planning for the 2019 celebrations in the 2014/15 financial year; to roll over the $20,000 that was not spent last year for use on a memorial wall for the buried headstones at Makaraka Cemetery. The extra funding granted will be sourced from current budgets and will not change the proposed rates increase of 1.9%. Council also resolved to: Change the budgets and rates for 2014/15 for Pest & Plants, Soil Conservation and Wastewater as a result of feedback from councillors and the draft 2014/15 Annual Plan consultation process (outlined previously in report 14/183); change the budgets for 2014/15 to reflect more accurate estimates in relation to costs and timings of major projects and economic development (outlined previously in report 14/183). The consultation process also resulted in a number of requests for service and other actions that are not detailed in the 2014/15 Annual Plan. While still significant, these actions can be carried out within existing budgets and work programmes. 2.2 Amendment to Council s Rates Remission Policies The Amendments to Council s Rates Remission Policies aim to: address the unwelcome impact of the 2012/13 Revenue & Financing Policy changes to targeted rates for Plants & Pests, Rural Fires and Soil Conservation; provide rates remissions for ratepayers who are charged water by the meter in cases where water usage is high due to a water leak; provide rates remissions for business expansions or new businesses considered strategically important to the economic development of the district. change the delegation from Performance, Audit and Risk Committee to the Council Officers and the frequency of applications (i.e. annual remissions to three yearly) required to aid in efficiency to Council and ratepayers. The amended Rates Remission Policies are included in the 2014/15 Annual Plan. 2.3 Fees and Charges Council s Fees and Charges were reviewed as part of the Annual Plan process. Most fees and charges have been increased by 1%-3% for 2014/15. This is in line with the expectation in the Ten Year Plan. Most changes are as a result of inflation. Fees have needed to increase further in some activities to meet Council s Revenue and Finance policies or increased costs, including: Resource consent administration fees have increased to ensure the activity remains selffunding due to the implications of the Resource Management Act Discount Regulations. Building Services fireplace consent fees have increased in response to extra audit requirements. Liquor licensing fees have changed following new Government regulations. Some charges for the War Memorial Theatre have increased to include the cost of a theatre technician. Full details of the Fees and Charges will be made available on our website. A Page 3 of 11

4 2.4 Balanced Budget Council s operating income is set at a level to meet each year s operating expenditure to ensure there is sufficient funding to enable Council s activities to be provided long term. This approach is not prudent for the forestry, soil conservation nurseries and some infrastructure due to the long term cyclic nature of income and expenditure. Council is forecasting surpluses for each year of the Ten Year Plan. The majority of the Plan s surpluses relate to either capital grants and subsidies or unfunded depreciation. Prospective Statement Concerning Balanced Budget AP 2014 TYP 2015 AP 2015 $000 $000 $000 88,143 Operating Revenue 93,259 83,144 78,691 Operating Expenditure 82,418 80,355 9,452 Operating Surplus 10,841 2,789 LESS 449 Capital Rates Revenue ,203 Capital Grants and Subsidies 15,480 9, Other Capital Grants, Donations and Contributions (186) Operations funded by Reserve Funds (182) 236 PLUS 6,708 Depreciation Not Funded 6,816 7, Increase/(Decrease) in Deficit (1,064) Balanced Budget - operating income agrees to operating expenditure Next Steps Following adoption, the next steps for the 2014/15 Annual Plan and Amendment are as follows: a) Councillors will be asked to strike the rates for the 2014/15 year in a separate report Setting of 2014/15 Rates Report 14/208. b) Decision letters will be sent to all of the 183 submitters to the draft 2014/15 Annual Plan and the proposed amendments, advising them of the Council s decision(s) in relation to their submission and thanking them for contributing to the process. c) Any unresolved actions that arose from the community update meetings will be followed up and appropriate feedback provided to the various individuals and communities. d) Copies of the adopted Annual Plan will be distributed to statutory consultees. Copies will also be made available for the public at the HB Williams Memorial Library and Council offices. A copy will also be made available on the Council website. e) Copies of the amended Rates Remission Policies will be made available on the Council s website. A Page 4 of 11

5 3. SIGNIFICANCE Both 2014/15 Annual Plan and Amendment are deemed significant and in accordance with Council s policy were prepared as Statements of Proposal that complied with the special consultative procedures detailed in the Sections 83, 85, 89 of the LGA CONSULTATION The preparation of the 2014/15 Annual Plan has complied with the special consultative procedures detailed in the Sections 83, 85, 89 of the LGA COMMUNITY OUTCOMES The 2014/15 Annual Plan sets out how Council s activities and services will contribute to the district s Community Outcomes during the 2014/15 financial year. 6. LEVELS OF SERVICE The 2014/15 Annual Plan sets out the Levels of Service targets for Council activities during the 2014/15 financial year. 7. FINANCIAL The 2014/15 Annual Plan sets out the prospective financial information for the 2014/15 financial year. 8. LEGAL The attached Gisborne District Council 2014/15 Annual Plan complies with Section 95 of the Local Government Act The LGA requires that Council must prepare an Annual Plan and that it must use the special consultative procedure when adopting it. Key points of Section 95 are: 95(1) the local authority must prepare and adopt an Annual Plan for each financial year 95(3) an Annual Plan must be adopted before the commencement of the year to which it relates. In addition, Section 23 of the Local Government (Rating) Act 2002 states: 23(2) Rates set by a local authority must: (a) relate to a financial year or part of a financial year, and (b) be set in accordance with the relevant provisions of the local authority s Annual Plan for that financial year. The Amendment complies with Sections 93 and 94 and Part 1 of Schedule 10 of the Local Government Act. 9. APPENDICES Appendix One: Appendix Two: Appendix Three: 2014/15 Annual Plan Change Sheet Annual Plan Action table 2014/15 Annual Plan and Amended Rates Remission Policies (separately enclosed). A Page 5 of 11

6 Appendix /15 Annual Plan Change Sheet Section/ Page Change Required Reason Various Various Various Various About this Plan/ Consultation p.5 Foreword p.7 The Big Picture p.8 Our Financial Strategy p.16 Financial Overview p.17 Major Projects p.22 Arts & Culture p.31 Comm Planning & Development p.36 Parks & Open Spaces p.42 Environmental Health p.52 Remission of Rates Policies p.130 Change in budgets and rates for Pest & Plants, Soil Conservation to minimise and smooth rates increases Change in budgets to reflect more accurate estimates in relation to costs and timings of major projects and economic development Remove draft from text and reword where appropriate Reword references to the proposed amendment and proposed plans etc. Remove reference to consultation. Include summary of changes made due to submissions. Remove reference to getting feedback and community update meetings. Update Managing our wastewater timeframes p.8 Update Driving Economic Development with EDA resolution p.8 Update Improving our roads re timeframes of Kaiti- Wainui cycleway Update reference to EDA funding p.17 Updated Council s Income pie graph. Updated Council s Expenditure vs Debt pie graph. Updated fees and charges text to include examples of increased fees p.18 Update progress of Major Projects p War memorial Theatre fundraising total - Beachfront walkway picture and concepts - Kaiti-Wainui walkway timeframe August - Library updated timeframe for concepts - Council building updated chosen concept for development and timeframes. Update Museum Grants new exhibition space open p. 32 Update forecast cost statement to include funding for Te Ha ($100k). Update to include increased funding for Tourism Eastland p.39 Include Makaraka memorial wall in activity plans Include increase to Surf Lifesaving funding Change Statement of Proposal to read Amendment Remove references to consultation of proposal p.136 & 137. Updating following consultation process Updating following consultation process Update progress Update progress/ Extra detail provided Update progress Update progress following consultation following consultation following consultation following consultation Updating following consultation process A Page 6 of 11

7 Section/ Page Change Required Reason Delete section 1. Introduction and Reasons for the Proposal p.131 Text change move a lump sum payment against the 2014/15 rates to end of paragraph p.133 Delete section 4. Summary of statement of proposal and 5. Distribution of statement of proposal p.136 Appendices Schedule of Councillors p.140 Removed photo of Cr Caddie and added note that the Gisborne seat will be decided in July by-election. Changed title of Cr Stoltz to Deputy Mayor. Cr Caddie resignation. Correction A Page 7 of 11

8 Appendix /15 Annual Plan Action Table Submitter Submission/Request Outcome Status/Funding #176 - Gisborne Stated CAG s vision to make Staff are reviewing the Walking and Cycle Advisory Gisborne a safe city for children to Walking and Cycling cycling Group plus cycle by strategy and will include priorities to be multiple submitters Requested council earmark existing funding for cycling projects give cycling its own budget line. submissions in that process. Staff will work towards giving cycling projects a separate funding line completed July 2014 for LTP early engagement may not be this financial year. No extra funding will be allocated at this time. #178 - E tu Elgin Raising issues for the Elgin Staff will continue to work Ongoing (Shelly Brown) community including alcohol and with E tu Elgin to complete psychoactive substances. the Elgin revitalisation Requested E tu Elgin take over project. toilet cleaning as contractors not doing a good job. #50 - Terrance Questioned the accountability of The Regional Freshwater Loomis the Freshwater Planning process Plan and the Waipaoa pointed out that timeframes have Catchment Plan will be not been kept. notified in September. #5 - Norman Requested a retractable stage for Request will be considered A works plan for Maclean Lawson Field Theatre. during planned the theatre is strengthening/ upgrades. being developed. #144 - Tourism Requested that Council Council will give a one off $51 Eastland plus retrospectively inflation adjust grant to TE for the app and multiple funding for tourism back to 2004 cruise ship projects ($45k) submitters and continue to adjust annually. and will inflation adjust Presented mobile app project and cruise ship receptions. (2%) the base amount annually. #179 - Titirangi Offered to answer any questions Staff will continue to work Ongoing Neighbourhood on their Titirangi Neighbourhood with the community on the Group Plan Kaiti revitalisation project to define the actions, identify priorities and to set achievable timeframes. #10 - Democrats Advocate the Single Transferable Council will review its for Social Credit Votes system for Local Government electoral system options at the time of its next representational review. #107 - Highlighted the importance of Staff can organise street Heart of Volunteers for having a tidy town for the cruise cleaning contracts to Gisborne or Heart of ship visits. coincide with cruise visits. Tourism Gisborne (Steph and Laurie Butler) Tourism Eastland have been granted some funding to assist with cruise Eastland to inform staff of cruise visits ship hosting. A Page 8 of 11

9 Submitter Submission/Request Outcome Status/Funding #133 - Presented their vision for the Staff will work with the Long Term Plan Papawhairiki Papawhairiki project and Papawhariki Trust with a early Trust requested that Council make this a view to including the engagement major project in the LTP. Papawhariki Project in will start in early engagement for the August Long Term Plan. #158 - Graham Presented a petition to turn the Council will consider the Mayor Elliott railway into a cycleway railway/cycleway at next requested a Council meeting. report for the June Council meeting #84 - Cancer Asked Council to consider shade Staff will consider how sun- Ongoing Society provision in Council reserves and smart can be incorporated walkways/cycleways e.g. the into planning for public skatepark. spaces and in Council CSNZ can help Council with policies. developing shade, education, and sun-safe working environments. #56 - Rail Action Requested Council recognise the Council will prepare a LTP early Group plus value of rail to the region and position statement engagement multiple allocate $100k to the Napier- regarding rail as part of the will start in submitters Gisborne Rail Est Group Long Term Plan. August #175 - Surf Presented to priorities for increased Council granted $3k to S3k Lifesaving NZ funding: cover the current deficit, 1. Increase by $3k to cover current deficit making the total annual grant $70, Extend funding to increase service to 6 weeks over summer period. Also presented intentions to extend service to Ruatoria and Onepoto. Te Ha (no written Requested Council bring forward Council agreed to bring $100k submission) the $100k budgeted for 2017 for forward funding to begin sestercentennial celebration event planning. planning. #126 - Room 15 Kids presented some of their ideas The suggestions will be LTP early Gisborne for improving Gisborne including: a considered during the LTP engagement Central School better Olympic Pool with better early engagement. will start in slides and a wave pool; a roof for August the skatepark for rainy days and a luge and flying fox for Kaiti Hill. #88 - Earnslaw Raised roading maintenance Staff will continue to meet Ongoing One (Chris issues. Suggested communication with forestry companies for Nelson) on harvesting times between better planning of road #155 - Eastland Wood Council Council and forestry companies could be improved. maintenance scheduling. (Trevor Helson) A Page 9 of 11

10 Submitter Submission/Request Outcome Status/Funding #130 - Ray Presented sundial project concept Council declined funding. Cllr Cranston Sheldrake and requested Council grant $27,800 towards admin to progress the project. Staff will develop a public arts programme that reflects the diverse unique qualities of our district and will follow up with submitter to look at Creative Communities provides for a range of art forms that are fitting to their context. #166 - Chris Requested Council use the Council will roll over $20k $20k Ward allocated $20k from last year and that was not spent last another $20k for this year to look at year for use on a memorial excavation of Makaraka cemetery wall for the buried headstones. headstones. #173 - Ballance Presented Ballance Street Village Staff will work with the Staff to engage Street Village Bussiness collective vision for Ballance Street Village with group in Business (Cherie improvement of the area. community in September September Mirko) Would like to work with Council to identify priorities, and have input 2014 on a revitalisation project. into the design and timeframes for existing funding/projects. Also requested assistance with applying for grants. Multiple Psychoactive substances Forward submissions onto Complete submitters (9) staff working on the hearing is 30 Psychoactive Substances July Policy for inclusion in that policy development process. #25 - Te Strategic direction - Papakainga Instruct staff in resource Work to be Runanga o housing consents, building and programmed Turanganui a environmental regulation for 2014/15 Kiwa to work with staff of Te Runanga o Turanganui a Kiwa to identify further process and service improvements for Papakainga housing applications #28 Joyce Sports Park Management Plan Forward submissions to Complete Wagner staff working on the Sports submissions #178 E tu Elgin Parks Management Plan for inclusion in that policy close 18 June development process. #178 E tu Elgin Local Alcohol Policy Forward submission to staff working on the Local Alcohol Policy for inclusion in that policy development process. Complete hearing is 25 June #70 Karen Increase funding for environmental Reply to Enviroschools to Decision letters Forno education, specifically increase submit a detailed funding will be sent in #94 Enviroschools the annual budget for Enviroschools by 10-15%. application to the Long Term Plan. July A Page 10 of 11

11 Submitter Submission/Request Outcome Status/Funding Multiple Pro- forma submissions including Staff will develop a Work to be Tourism, Walking and Cycling etc. submissions (including pro- programmed forma) and petitions for 2014/15 policy for Council consideration that will assist Council to clarify how they treat and manage submissions and to also provide the community with guidance as to how to make a submission/petition. Multiple Public Conveniences are not being Staff will factor in public Activity maintained adequately. concerns about the public Management convenience activities Plan levels of service when development developing the Activity has started Management Plan for the draft Long Term Plan #169 - Eastwoodhill Arboretum withdrew Staff will work with the Work to be Eastwoodhill their request for a $30k grant Eastwoodhill Arboretum programmed Arboretum towards a playground as they Trust Board on a for 2014/15 sourced the funds elsewhere. memorandum of However they did ask to work with understanding with a view Council on a memorandum of to a partnership understanding for ongoing arrangement for maintenance. maintenance purposes in the future particularly around our roading infrastructure and playground maintenance. A Page 11 of 11