About the Long-Term Plan 2024-34 | Mō te Mahere Pae Tawhiti 2024-34

Thank you to everyone who submitted on our draft Long-Term Plan. The opinions of our community are crucial in helping Council decide a plan and budget for the future.

Submissions were open for a month between 13 March and 14 April 2024. Hearings were held 29 April-2 May 2024 and Council deliberated 22-23 May 2024.

As Canterbury’s regional council, our goal is to work with the community to achieve good outcomes for our land, water and air. We’re striving for a healthier environment, a resilient, prepared community and reduced congestion and lower emissions.

What we asked you to consider

We asked the community how much we should spend (and therefore how much work we should do) in our three core services:

• Environmental Regulation and Protection | Ngā mahi tiakina me ngā whakaritenga taiao
  How we look after our land, water and air, e.g. pest control, air quality, water quality
• Community Preparedness and Response to Hazards | Te whakarite hapori me ngā urupare mōrearea
  Preparing for and responding to emergencies and climate change
• Public Transport | Ngā waka tūmatanui

Each of these had three options of work and funding, Option 1 being the most work and highest cost for each.

We also asked you to consider:

• Should there be a specific targeted rate for biodiversity in Christchurch and Banks Peninsula?
• Should there be a specific targeted rate to support river resilience work in Selwyn?
• Should we change the way we charge?
  This included the way we manage consent fees, the percentage of your rates bill that is a Uniform Annual General Charge, and also changes to some of our strategy and policy documents.

What you told us

We had 1310 submissions, 127 were on behalf of groups/organisations. 153 of these people and groups came to speak to our Council about their thoughts.

There were mixed views, with some submissions advocating for more work and higher costs (Option 1), while others called for more savings (Option 3).

Submissions showed:

Note: For each service, option 1 means spend most, do most, and option 3 is spend least, do least. Option two is in the middle.

Where we landed

Despite the community’s overall desire for us to do more and charge more, Council acknowledged the burden a rates increase would put on ratepayers, and tried to find a balance. After much deliberation, Council felt they were able to reach a compromise.

Finding savings elsewhere, Councillors agreed on a total increase of rates revenue of 17.9 per cent for the upcoming year, which is less than the original proposed 24.2 per cent. Actual rates for each property will vary depending on location and various targeted rates.

Using the feedback from the community to inform them, Council made changes, savings and decisions which are outlined in greater detail below.

You can also read our news story Council makes key decisions on 10-year plan to find out more. Copies of the submissions and recordings of the hearings are on our website.

If you need a quick refresher on what we asked the community about, a copy of the consultation document is also available.