Ōtorohanga District Council has made significant changes with its newly adopted Long Term Plan– and is now in new-look chambers.
Last week the council celebrated the opening of its refurbished chambers with mana whenua, staff and community members.
Council went out to formal public consultation on its LTP in April and received a total of 60 submissions, with the proposed wastewater scheme for Kāwhia being the focus point of many of the submissions.
“We acknowledge the dawnofanewerainour working relationship with Māori,” Mayor Max Baxter said.
“I see the facelift of these chambers as symbolic of this. The chambers had not changed for many, many years as new councils, elected members and mayors served their term representing the people of Ōtorohanga.”
Council expects to spend $458 million in capital and operating expenses to support the district for the next 10 years. This includes the following investment in community infrastructure, facilities and spaces – $177m for roading and footpaths, $62m for water supply, $35mfor wastewater,$4m in stormwater treatment and $46m in community facilities/spaces.
Having unveiling the new-lookcouncilchambers, councillors set out to adopt their Long Term Plan.
Designer-carvers Daniel Ormsby and Kiharoa Blake Kakau pictured with members of the Maniapoto Maori Trust Board.
“This Long Term Plan is significantly different to any other Long Term Plan that I have ever been a part of,” Baxter said.
The rates increase for the district will now be 4.12 percent for the first year, 5.50 percent in 2022/23 and 5.68 percent in 23/24
