Long Term Plan 2012-2022 Contents Part One Introduction to our Plan Part Three Policies and other information Mayor and Chief Executive Introduction ............................ 7 Statement of Accounting Policies..................................... 177 Major Decisions .........................................................................9 Council Funding Impact Statement .................................187 Vision, Strategy and Council Outcomes Rating System - LTP 2012 ................................................... 189 – why we do what we do. ....................................................18 Revenue and Financing Policy ..........................................204 Monitoring the Council Outcomes ................................... 20 Financial Strategy ...................................................................218 Are we living within our means Significant Forecasting Assumptions ...............................229 – the Financial Strategy (summary).....................................22 Summary of Significance Policy ....................................... 245 Variations between the LTP ..................................................27 Development of Maori Capacity to Contribute to Decision-Making ..............................................................246 Part Two Groups of Activities Council Controlled Organisations ................................... 247 Guide to Section 2 ..................................................................31 Audit Opinion ........................................................................249 Community Facilities ..............................................................32 Governance Structure ......................................................... 252 District Development ............................................................ 64 Executive Team ..................................................................... 253 Emergency Management ..................................................... 80 Glossary .................................................................................. 254 Environmental and Regulatory Management ................. 92 Governance and Strategy................................................... 120 Roading Network ..................................................................126 Solid Waste ..............................................................................136 Stormwater .............................................................................144 Wastewater ............................................................................ 150 Water Supply ...........................................................................158 Prospective Financial Statements .................................... 164 Notes to the Financial Statements ................................... 169 3 Part One Introduction to our Plan 5 Mayor and Chief Executive Introduction It is with great pleasure that we Connected, vibrant and present the 2012-22 Long Term Plan, thriving Manawatu – the best detailing what work we will do and rural lifestyle in New Zealand. services we will provide – and how As well as an over-arching vision for the district, we will pay for that. we have vision statements for our distinct Since we released this plan as a draft, we have communities: received close to 200 written submissions, and heard from 150 people who attended Council Rural Area: in person to share their views. The food basket of New Zealand within As we said when we introduced that draft a sustainable rural landscape that offers plan, the sole purpose of local government outstanding recreational opportunity. is to provide benefits to the community. We carefully listened to our community and we heard first-hand their views on the benefits Villages: and costs of the draft plan. Council was and Attractive and prosperous communities remains very mindful of the messages that have that offer lifestyle choices and business been articulated from the community, and opportunities within a unique environment. central government, on the need for prudent Feilding urban: stewardship. A thriving community enjoying the most vibrant The overwhelming feedback was against country town in New Zealand, servicing the changes we had proposed to the rating system. regional rural sector. We heard clearly that our community wanted to retain the system of targeted rates paying for More on how we developed our Vision, specific activities. We also heard that changes and how it has influenced our planning can to the differentials – affecting the proportion of be found on pages 18 and 19. We are also rates paid by rural and town residents – should developing a new method of reporting – not change. We have therefore removed enabling our community to see at a glance changes to the system – although we have what we have done towards achieving our amended some minor matters which we Vision. believe are in the best interests of the district. This Vision gave us a strong framework for our Also, as a result of hearing from the community, decision-making. our Vision statement is now confirmed: We are pleased to confirm commitments to key infrastructure projects, which will be completed during the life of this long term plan. 7 Feedback from submitters was also in support people living in the district by 2031, means we of the community planning programme. We must ensure we provide appropriate services are very much looking forward to working in and facilities. Of course, we must also remain partnership with our villages to provide the very mindful of the need to be an affordable place best rural lifestyle possible. We are also able to to live. confirm some exciting projects which will see Our new financial strategy is confirmed. On our environment enhanced. Strong support pages 22 and 218 you will find details of what for preservation and improvement to Kitchener we will spend, and how this will be structured. Park means we have confirmed its place and funding in our plans. Finally, Council would like to thank those residents who took part in the long term We have also retained the proposal to planning process – whether by attending significantly upgrade the Makino Aquatic meetings or making submissions. We believe Centre, subject to an appropriate business case we have, with help from our community, being finalised. produced a plan that will take us closer to our Access to recreational assets – be they sports vision – and it is affordable. fields, pools, parks or reserves – is a major factor We very much look forward to working with our in attracting and retaining people to our district. community to deliver that plan. Our decisions to prioritise spending on these facilities is, we believe, appropriate to ensure the future viability of the district. It aligns with the Regional Development Strategy (RDS), which we remain committed to alongside partners Palmerston North City Council, Destination Lorraine Vincent Margaret Kouvelis Manawatu and Vision Manawatu. Chief Executive Mayor Council is also hugely supportive of the work underway to ensure the district is the best place to ride a bike – another RDS goal. With Palmerston North, we are working towards attracting more bike events. Locally, we are ensuring that we provide bike-friendly leisure facilities – from mountain bike tracks to bike lockers. Shared bike/walkways are also on our to-do list. Our predicted growth – around 11.4 percent 8 – and an estimated additional 400 young Major Decisions Council, in its draft long term plan increasing our cost of borrowing. and summary document, was very Influences from New Zealand affect us too. deliberate in asking residents what Rapidly rising insurance costs mean we must issues were of most importance. consider how we insure, and to what value we will insure. And our increasing awareness of We highlighted matters we saw as most crucial earthquakes after the tragedy in Christchurch for our community to understand: means we too must act to keep our community • Projects - generally new spending. safe. That means working with those property • Commitments – projects that have owners whose buildings have been identified already started or will start later in 2012, as earthquake prone, and addressing Council but that Council has already committed owned community buildings which are We have committed to through an earlier planning process. affected. Choices will have to be made on to the Regional Completion of commitments has an what to upgrade – or what properties we impact on our ability to deliver or fund cannot afford to retain. Development Strategy, new projects Other trade-offs exist in the levels of service we providing clear • Considerations - other factors affecting provide. In every activity from animal control to Council’s ability to provide or fund public conveniences, Council could provide a goals for growth and services. higher level of service. An animal control officer development. could be located in every community in the As always, the issue of affordability is critical. district or we could provide 24-hour superloo Council is primarily funded by collecting rates facilities – but this would be at considerable from businesses and residential properties cost. within the district. We know that in these tough economic times we must ensure rates are kept We also included in the draft plan initiatives at a level the community can bear. Yet we are designed to best use existing funding. We regularly asked to provide new and additional have committed to the Regional Development