Thank you to everyone who took the time to give feedback on Rotorua Lakes Council’s draft 2023/24 Annual Plan.

Consultation ran from 11 April to 12 May and a total of 2090 pieces of feedback were received from individuals, groups and organisations.

These community submissions and feedback were taken into consideration as part of elected members’ deliberations and decision-making.

The finalised plan was adopted by Council in late June and following final adjustments and edits that were required, the plan is now available to view on the Rotorua Lakes Council website.

The draft annual plan outlined what projects and work Council planned to deliver in the 2023/24 financial year (starting 1 July 2023) and the budget for this.

The draft plan reflected Council’s key priorities (housing, infrastructure, economy, community) and aimed to balance what the community needed most with the need for prudent management in the face of significant financial challenges.

Council proposed refocusing spending to ensure it could deliver well on projects and services that were absolutely necessary, in a cost-effective way.

The draft plan included changes to council services, pausing or stopping spending in some areas, and increasing fees and charges to manage rising costs, boost revenue, and reduce reliance on rates to pay for these services:

• A 7.2% rates increase (this is the average general rates increase)
• An achievable $141m capital works programme
• Sustainable borrowing of $51m proposed.

These projects included:

• Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade
• Housing for Everyone – Plan Change 9 to enable more housing
• Community safety initiatives
• Museum redevelopment
• Aquatic Centre upgrades
• Introduction of organic waste collection service
• Tarawera Sewerage Scheme
• Linton Park stormwater upgrade.

The 2023/24 financial year was Year 3 of the 2021-31 Long-term Plan (LTP) but included a number of changes to what had been proposed for that year in the LTP, due to the current operating environment and challenges.

Proposed changes Council consulted on:

• Increasing fees and charges, in line with inflation, for eg admission to and hiring of venues and facilities, liquor licensing, dog registration, building and resource consents and parking. This is to reflect increased costs, minimise the shortfall ratepayers currently have to cover and shift from reliance on rates to those who use/benefit most from these services.
• Reduce level of service for city beautification (reduce weeding and mowing frequency, remove inner city flower beds, remove hanging baskets in Ngongotahā).
• Reduce support for sports clubs/codes and/or attracting and supporting events.
• Pausing planned improvements at sports grounds, recreation parks, playgrounds and Whakarewarewa and Titokorangi forests.
• Deferring Kuirau Park Skate Park.
• Pausing lakes infrastructure enhancements.
• Stop museum education services provided to local and out-of-town schools.
• Stop waste education activities.
• Close Rotorua Library on Sundays.
• Reduce funding and activities relating to arts and creative communities.
• Remove funding allocation for Economic Recovery Fund.
• Seek commercial partner to help fund Sala Street Cemetery chapel upgrade.
• Stop community funding grants (Partnerships, Community Grants and Neighbourhood Matching Fund).
• Reduce roading portfolio initiatives (including for maintenance of Te Ara Ahi cycle trail, Māori roadways, shared paths).
• Reduce funding for events attraction.