Or you can download the Annual Plan in parts for easier download:
Message from Mayor, Mark Ball, and CEO, Sally Davis, about the Annual Plan
July 2008
On 28th June Council adopted our Annual Plan. This Annual Plan 2008/09 provides for a year of change at Franklin District Council.
Our plans and budget cover business as usual for all of the activities and services we provide to you, the community. The effect of this on the District-wide rate is an increase of 4.3%. On top of “business as usual”, Council has made a commitment to improve how we deliver all of our services. To achieve this, we have undertaken a review and restructure of Council’s business. While this is still underway, the costs have been included in this plan and amount to $800,000, an additional 3% on the District-wide rate.
The purpose of the review and restructure is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of Council as a large operating business. We acknowledge that 7.3% is a considerable increase in rates in tough economic times, but we also know there is never a good time for change. If we delay we will never get the improvements needed and the costs will be higher in the long run.
To spread this additional cost more evenly across the community, and to ease the burden of capital value rates on high value properties we have increased the Uniform Annual General Charge from $360 in the 2007/08 year to $475 for the 2008/09 year. This has the effect of every property paying equally for the additional amount.
We are also committed to undertaking a full review of our Revenue and Funding Policy during this year as we review our Long Term Council Community Plan for the next 10 years. This means we will be reviewing how we fund our capital projects and our operating expenditure, and what the impact on various types of rateable properties is in terms of costs (rates) and benefits.
We greatly appreciate the input of submitters during the Annual Plan process and know that many of you will see that Council has acted on your suggestions.
Key Impacts of Annual Plan on Your Property Rates:
- Average District-wide Rates increase of 7.3% after taking into account growth in property numbers and value.
- Rates Revaluation was undertaken in 2006 and these values will be used to calculate the rates for 2008-2009.
- Wastewater Rate increases from $435 to $455 and affects mostly urban properties in the District.
- Recycling Rate increases from $35 to $40 and affects properties in the collection recycling collection areas.
- Water Rate increases from $1.90 to $1.95 per cubic meter.
A full list of rates can be found in the Funding Impact Statement on page 8 of the front section of the Annual Plan which you can download above. If you would like to know how the changes in this Annual Plan affect the rates for 2008-2009 on your property please contact the Rates Team direct on 237 1339.