An average 4.56 per cent increase to rates for this year (2021-22) is proposed in the council's draft long term plan which comes up for consideration at Thursday’s (March 18) full council meeting.

The rates rise is integral to continued investment in the future of the district, according to Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) chief executive Mike Theelen. 

It’s needed “to honour projects that were already committed to, continuing to invest in core service delivery, to deliver the considerable three waters investment needed to meet statutory requirements, and to maintain and improve levels of service expected by the community”, he said. 

The Ten Year Plan 2021-2031 (also known as the long term plan, LTP) identifies key challenges facing the district and the projects proposed to address them.

The $11M Cardrona village wastewater scheme began construction last year. PHOTO: Supplied

These challenges include climate change, delivering safe and reliable three waters services (drinking water, wastewater and stormwater) and meeting community transport needs. 

“This proposed plan highlights what we believe are the key projects, strategic decisions and essential spending on infrastructure and services,” QLDC finance general manager Stewart Burns said.

Need a local service? See Trades/Services in your Wanaka App

The draft consultation document also proposes to increase some user fees and charges, such as resource and building consents (up by 12 and 10 per cent respectively, dog registration (up by 15 per cent), cemeteries (10 per cent) and swimming pool entry charges (six per cent).

If fees and charges are not increased from current levels for these activities then a further $2.35M will be added to rates for next year, the LTP document says. 

Stage five of the lakefront development is signalled for investment within 12 months but it’s recommended that stage four be postponed for four years. PHOTO: Wanaka App

“This would increase the average rates increase (after growth) from 4.56% to 7.14% - an additional 2.58%.”

Council is also seeking additional funding to increase its staff this year by another 23 positions, which would bring the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) staff to around 416.88. To minimise the effect on rates these additional roles will be partially paid for by increasing user fees.

Further investment in active travel is also proposed to the Wanaka Primary Cycle Network ($15.9M) with the aim of completing it by 2026-2027. 

However, to be able to deliver the draft cycle network programme within funding limits, council said it has had to reprioritise the Mt Aspiring cycleway ($8.4M) and active travel opportunities within Wanaka’s town centre and lakefront.

Significant investment is also signalled in Wanaka’s water treatment and wastewater upgrades over the next 10 years. The increase proposed from year five (2025-2026) for these upgrades suggests a rise for Wanaka residential rates from $197 to $328 per year for water treatment plus $76 per year for wastewater.

If approved by the elected members on Thursday, public consultation on the draft 2021-2031 Ten Year Plan will begin on Friday (March 19) and run for four weeks.

“It will then be up to the community to let us know if we have it right,” Stewart said. 

Copies of the consultation document and supporting information will be available online here, at council offices and libraries across the district, or by emailing [email protected].

A number of drop-in sessions throughout the district for community members to speak with staff about the draft LTP are also planned. Details will be published here and widely advertised once these are confirmed.

The document will be available to Wanaka App readers on the App’s Council news button, delivered via rural delivery in the Upper Clutha and posted to all non-resident ratepayers and it will also be inserted in the local weekly newspapers in Wanaka and Queenstown on April 1. 

The LTP is reviewed and, if necessary, adjusted every three years and was last reviewed in 2018 when the 2018-2028 LTP was approved.

In the last LTP, the Wanaka town centre masterplan was “Big Issue 4” but does not feature in this new draft LTP while the Wanaka lakefront development plan (LDP) does. Stage five of the LDP (from the marina to the yacht club) is proposed for investment this financial year (2021-2022) but it’s suggested that stage four (town centre foreshore) is postponed until mid 2025 at the earliest.

PHOTOS: Wanaka App