Community Feedback Changes Annual Plan

The Hurunui District Council today considered all community feedback and agreed on the budget for the 2021 Annual Plan.

Following the council’s significant loss in revenue due to COVID-19 and the hardships residents and businesses face, the Hurunui District Council proposed a number of cost saving measures to keep the following year’s rates increase as low as possible.

These cost saving measures included:

• $455,000 from wages, maintenance, consultants, grants and awards.
• Deferring the repayment of just over $1million of debt.
• Deferring certain capital expenditures.

The changes proposed predicted an overall rates increase of 3.74%, lower than the 5% originally proposed in the Long Term Plan.

Following the Annual Plan Engagement Process, the council today considered community views and reinstated the following awards and grants:

Secondary School achievers $10k

Hanmer Springs Heritage Trust $5200

Hurunui Trails Trust $40k

The rates increase for 2021 will be 3.74%, as specified in the Draft Annual Plan. This is achieved by using additional savings from external interest costs to fund the awards and grants that have been reinstated.

Mayor Marie Black said the changes to the Annual Plan were made after careful consideration.

“Councillors considered all feedback in good faith and reached a sensible position,” she said. “Today’s decisions reflect the community and the important work of our district’s volunteers and youth.”