Submissions open for Long-term Plan consultation

Environment Southland’s Long-term Plan 2021-2031 consultation document, Tō tātou haerenga – our journey, has been approved by Councillors for public release.

Submissions are open from Tuesday 4 May until 5.00pm on Friday 4 June.

Chairman Nicol Horrell said the Council had worked intensely over the past 18 months to thoroughly consider the significant issues and the possible choices to address them. The consultation document covers the Council’s significant issues and provides options for Southlanders to consider.

“We need to deliver on what our communities and the Government are asking of us, particularly in relation to freshwater quality and climate change impacts, if we are to increase community resilience and ensure Southland is set up for the future.”

The Council’s priority work programmes focus on four specific areas. These include improving freshwater quality and implementing the Government’s requirements; completing shovel ready projects to improve flood defences in a co-funding arrangement (Government 75%; Council 25%); upgrading our systems to ensure our large volume of data more effectively helps the Council and Southlanders to make good decisions; continuing our coastal marine activities – harbourmaster, coastal planning and biosecurity – despite the loss of cruise ship income ($2.8m pa).

“We are presenting a consultation document that lays out the big, important projects ahead of us and the financial constraints under which we are working. I encourage people to take the time to read it, to consider the options and to let us know what they think.”

As well as the proposals regarding rates in the consultation document, feedback is sought on several other items that have been reviewed during the process of developing the Long-term Plan. These include Council’s Levels of Service, Significance and Engagement Policy, Infrastructure Strategy, Revenue and Financing Policy, Fees and Charges, Rates Remission and Postponement Policy (incl for Māori Freehold Land) and a Proposal to join the New Zealand Local Government Funding Organisation (LGFA).

Consultation documents are available at our office, libraries around the region as well as other council service centres. You can submit online through our website, www.es.govt.nz/ltp or phone us on 0800 76 88 45 and we can post you a copy. A submission form is contained within the consultation document.