LONG TERM Let’s talk Kia korero PLAN 2021/31 Contents 2 Message from the Mayor 3 Living & Working in Clutha Update 4 Investing in Infrastructure 7 A Better Water Source? 8 Keeping Rates Down 9 Rates Examples 10 Our Finances 12 Milton’s Makeover Our Place 13 But Wait There’s More 14 Audit Report 15 Have Your Say Clutha District 1 LONG TERM Let’s talk Kia korero PLAN 2021/31 YOUR COUNCILLORS MAYOR’S MESSAGE Kia ora koutou katoa Thank you for taking the time to consider what we’re proposing in this triennium’s defining strategic document, the Long-Term Plan 2021/31. Stewart Cowie Ken Payne We appreciate your assistance in getting the balance right for the Clutha Valley Ward Balclutha Ward Clutha District. Along with outlining Council’s intentions for the next 10 years, we believe this document portrays our collective determination to remain positive, be proactive, and reflect the ever-increasing aspirations of our District while always striving for rates affordability. Mayor Maintaining 1.1 billion dollars of assets demands a breadth to Council’s Bryan Cadogan Bruce Graham Bruce Vollweiler Kaitangata-Matua Bruce Ward focus. Quite rightly our ratepayers’ expectations are that facilities like Ward halls and swimming pools are given appropriate attention just like the traditional ‘core services’. We also have the ever-increasing demands from Central Government on issues like improving our environmental footprint, and climate change. Our proposed plan must respond to the social, economic, Carol Sutherland environmental and clutural challenges we face, along with enhancing Wayne Felts Balclutha Ward Balclutha Ward the unique advantages our district possesses A lack of housing, running in tandem with filling the wealth of jobs we have on offer, are two key economic inhibitors that must be confronted. Our Council is in a strong financial position, with investment returns having the potential to fund growth projects while not encumbering ratepayers. We have also, by default, been required to take on the mantle of developing. Not to do so would have undoubtably Dane Catherwood Alison Ludemann Catlins Ward Balclutha Ward consigned our district to further retrenchment of services and stagnation of potential. But, as the market evolves so too must our tactical approach, and your thoughts on this approach would be appreciated. We have shown the courage to identify issues, seek and find solutions, and then devise a way forward with consensus from the majority. This document clearly shows that we intend to continue in this manner. It Gaynor Finch Jo-anne Thompson Bruce Ward Clinton Ward is imperative that we all continue to strive to make the Clutha District a great place to live, work and play, and it is with a view to this bigger picture that I am sure you will consider the options presented. These are exciting times for our district. We are entering a ‘delivery period’ on many Council projects, but we can not make decisions in isolation from world events. Consequently there is the need for extra Mel Foster Selwyn Wilkinson vigour and scrutiny from us all as we plan our future. I encourage you Lawrence/Tuapeka Ward Bruce Ward all to take an active role in this process and thank you for caring about your district’s future. Nga mihi Sharing our plans for the Clutha District. Tell us what you think. Every three years we update the Long Term Plan (LTP) which sets the direction John Herbert we’re heading in for the next 10 years. West Otago Ward The LTP describes our proposed activities across the district and outlines how the activities will be managed, delivered and funded. This document is where we share with you what we are thinking, we ask for your opinion on some key decisions, and we provide a breakdown of the expected rates impact of these decisions. 2 LIVING &WORKING Let’s talk Kia korero IN CLUTHA UPDATE Living & Working in the Clutha District Our Living & Working in Clutha Strategy is one of our key guiding documents. In this Long Term Plan we’ve given it a refresh to explain how we’re intending to promote the well-being of the Clutha District’s communities. It focuses on priorities we think have a crucial part to play. OUR STORY SO FAR WHAT ARE OUR PRIORITIES? In recent years we’ve had a focus on promoting growth in our district. A Facilitating More Quality Housing Improving Health, Safety & Well-Being Supporting Culture & Heritage range of projects and initiatives have Clutha District’s housing market is under Our communities are known for being We’re looking to more actively showcase been helping make that happen. pressure, with the availability of quality caring and supportive, with a practical our culture and heritage to better These include: housing for both ownership and rental no nonsense approach to addressing share and celebrate who we are. Some • Supported and enabled the use of an issue. Demand for social housing is issues. We have a relatively small and examples include using innovative land for residential and industrial also growing. We’re proposing to play an aging population, and volunteers are ways to make our community stories, development e.g. Balclutha’s active leadership role to enable housing increasingly stretched. Drugs and objects, and records more accessible; Plantation Heights and Rosebank solutions. This includes continuing to alcohol can cause issues, and we lack and incorporating our local history and Industrial Estate build on partnerships with communities public transport options. We believe culture into community facilities such as • Supported and facilitated and central government. We will look connectivity and access to health halls and public spaces. community initiatives such as the to continue to facilitate residential services should be a focus. Clutha Community Hub and Naish development to add more quality Park developments in Balclutha. housing in the district, whether that Funding has also been committed be residential subdivisions, or single to a Milton community facility houses and infill development in our Addressing Climate Change towns. to replace aging facilities in the Climate change will present town. Our Place Community We’re also planning on challenges and opportunities Plans are providing a platform to improving Council-owned throughout the district. We’ve facilitate priority projects through community housing units been working on gathering the district’s main towns. throughout the district. For better information about what • Facilitated the development of more details refer to the we can expect in the coming growth hubs via the District Plan, Clutha District Strategic century. This is providing more e.g. Milton as an industrial hub Direction for Housing detail including ‘trigger points’. and Balclutha as a service hub. 2021. We can use this information when making decisions, to WHERE WE’RE HEADING set us up in the best position possible for the longer term. We’re continuing our focus on pro- moting growth and opportunities in the Clutha District Filling Our Jobs Investing in Infrastructure Overall, our district is in good shape We’re focused on sustaining and – poised to make the most of our growing businesses by helping fill We intend to continue looking circumstances and opportunities. jobs in the district. For Clutha District after what we’ve got and increase In recent years we’ve supported this mean continuing to provide direct levels of service to meet compulsory initiatives to promote growth in the recruitment support for our businesses. requirements, such as increasing District and it’s great to see progress Having a vibrant and diverse workforce Reducing Our Environmental Footprint standards for sewage discharges and on this. Our district has begun with the skills to meet the changing drinking water. Importantly, Council We want to help promote a district that growing and our overall outlook is needs of the district will be crucial to our will also look at facilitating growth plans for a sustainable future through positive despite the unprecedented success both now and into the future. where there is potential for this. For effective planning of infrastructure, challenges that have come our way in We see also a key role of Council is to more details refer to Investing in our efficient delivery of services, and recent times. provide supporting infrastructure which Infrastructure over the page, and the enables businesses to flourish. the protection, maintenance and Draft Infrastructure Strategy 2021/51. A variety of factors put us in a good enhancement of our natural and built position to move forward. Our strong environment. Focus areas include KEY TO THE WHEEL agricultural base and low reliance on waste reduction, water conservation Vision sectors like tourism and retail puts and quality, and protecting and Community Outcomes us in a very good position in light enhancing habitats of local significance. We’re also open for business in terms of the impacts COVID-19 has had Other initiatives include supporting Key Priority Area of visiting and investing here. Council throughout the world. We’ve taken infrastructure for electric vehicles and is intending to use what it has available Key Strategies & Plans this into account in our forward reducing greenhouse gas emissions. planning and are looking forward to to fully support our residents and ratepayers now, and into the future. maintaining the momentum of recent For more information refer to the Draft Living years, with our focus on continuing and Working in Clutha Strategy 2021/51 to make Clutha a great place to live, work and play. available at www.cluthadc.govt.nz Tell us: Have we got our priorities right for the Clutha District? 3 INVESTING IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE OUR STORY SO FAR when compared with other similar our community without compromising invested in, and prioritise investment networks and this has reduced capital the amenity values of our urban areas.