Development of draft Annual Plan progressing
Work is underway on development of a draft 2023/24 annual plan for Rotorua Lakes Council which Mayor Tania Tapsell says will help set a new direction to take the district forward.
The draft plan will go out to the community for feedback during April and May.
“Council has been considering how we can deliver what’s important to our communities, while balancing the need for prudent financial management,” Mayor Tapsell says.
She and councillors have had two forums to review the operations, spending and direction of the organisation. Decisions about what will be included in the draft plan will be made during a meeting of Council next Wednesday [22 March].
“The forums have been helpful to ensure Councillors are well informed of the impacts before making a decision on what’s to be included in the proposed Annual Plan we’ll be taking out to the community. This consultation document will outline the challenges, and the direction we’re proposing and why.”
“At next week’s Council meeting we will make decisions about what is to be included in the draft plan. These discussions need to be held in confidential for a number of reasons including commercial sensitivity, to protect individuals and to prevent any improper disclosure of information,” the Mayor says.
“I can reassure the community that decisions made next week will become public, when presented for approval at our 5 April Council meeting.”
Submissions and feedback will be sought between 11 April to 12 May and details about this will be provided in advance of the consultation period.
The Annual Plan, which will set the budgets and work programmes for the 2023/24 financial year, needs to be adopted by the end of June and will take effect on 1 July, which is the start of the council’s financial year.
“This is an opportunity to reset the spending and priorities of Council and we’re looking forward to hearing from the Rotorua community and taking on their feedback to help us in our final decision-making,” Mayor Tapsell says.