Council agrees shape of long term plan

Kāpiti Coast District Council has agreed the final shape of its 2015-35 long term plan (LTP), which sets the direction for council activities and projects for the next 20 years, focusing particularly on the next three.

The plan can now be finalised, ready for adoption by council later this month.

Mayor Ross Church said wide-ranging community engagement on council’s draft plan showed the majority of submitters felt it was heading in the right direction.

“We’ve had many opportunities to hear what our residents want us to focus on, through public information sessions, written submissions and at LTP hearings over the past two months. We’ve heard a range of views and we’ve listened,” Mayor Church says.

“We got the sense the majority of submitters feel we’re striking the right balance between promoting initiatives that will enable us to improve our district without spending beyond our means and pushing up debt levels.”

Mayor Church says amongst the 480 written and 78 verbal submissions, there was broad support for council’s recommendations to proceed with four big new initiatives identified in the plan and six major projects.

Council has confirmed the following key initiatives for inclusion in the final plan:

• Transformation of the Paraparaumu and Waikanae town centres will be staged for completion in 2028. This was the achievable option recommended in the draft plan
• Te Ātiawa park courts will be rebuilt.
• The Ōtaki pool will be upgraded and future proofed and a splash pad built next to the pool.
• Council will invest in the Kapiti College performing arts centre, subject to an appropriate agreement about the community use of the centre. The development of a community events facility will be revisited as part of the next long term plan.

 The following major projects will also proceed as recommended in the draft plan:

• Replacement of the Paekākāriki sea wall with a concrete, timber and rock design, agreed with the Paekākāriki community, between 2016 and 2020.
• Re-development of the Raumati pool building as a multi-purpose community facility -  to be up and running by 2020.
• Upgrading the Mahara Gallery and Waikanae Library as a combined project, subject to the conditions of the council’s MoU with Mahara Gallery Trust and the Field Collection Trust.
• Finalising the Otaraua Park development plan and beginning implementation over 2015/16 to 2017/18.
• Creating a youth development centre as a staged project over 2015/16 to 2017/18.
• Assessing earthquake-prone buildings over five years starting in 2015/16.

Mayor Church says council has been able to approve funding for some additional items, raised during the submissions process, while still keeping rates down to an average increase of 4.2% in 2015/16 and an average 3.3% over the next 20 years.  

“Council also asked for a number of other matters raised in submissions to be explored in council’s activity management plans, studies and policy development or considered for inclusion in future annual plans.”

The 2015-2035 long term plan will be put to council for final adoption on 25 June.