On 17 December, Auckland Council agreed on its consultation items for its Annual Plan 2016/2017, with rating issues set to be at the forefront of the conversation with the community on its budget for the next financial year.
The council’s governing body agreed to consult on the following items, some of which had been recommended by the Finance and Performance Committee before inclusion in the mayoral proposal last week.
Topics for consultation:
- the level of the Uniform Annual General Charge (UAGC)
- the level and composition of the Interim Transport Levy (ITL)
- Māori land rates
- rural rates
- extending the retrofit your home scheme in two pilot areas to include septic tanks
- local board priorities
- Maunga Authority operational plan
- potential capital programme changes.
Stability and delivery
Auckland Mayor Len Brown says that while this Annual Plan process is focused on stability and the delivery of decisions made during the Long-term Plan consultation, it's still important for Aucklanders to have their say on key issues.
“We know that Aucklanders want us to keep rates rises low and to fix our transport issues,” says Mayor Brown.
“These consultation topics deal with both those issues through the UAGC and ITL, and at the same time look at some other rating issues that could be structured differently.
“It is important that, when considering our budget, we hear from our community, and that is what this process will enable.”
Consultation on the Annual Plan 2016/2017 will take place between 15 February and 24 March 2016.
