What's happening in your community... Draft Annual Plan Open for Feedback Waimakariri District Council has opened the Draft Annual Plan 2023-24 for public feedback. Since Council adopted the LTP in 2021, the Waimakariri District, like the rest of New Zealand and the World, has faced many challenges. These include. the effects of Covid-19, supply chain issues, rising energy costs and ongoing inflationary pressures. Simply, there's been no economic period quite like this in the last 30 years. Council had projected a rise in rates of 4.3% for this year, but as inflation has increased, it has put significant pressure on operational budgets. To continue to provide the level of service rate payers expect, it has forced a higher rate increase than expected Council started with a proposed rates increase of 14.4% After thoroughly reviewing work programmes, looking for savings and at what projects can be deferred to keep increases as low as possible - a significantly lower increase of 5.97% has been reached Mayor Dan Gordon says he is pleased the Council was able to achieve its goal of keeping rates increases under the cpi inflation rate of 7.2% "We are pleased to report we have managed to cap our proposed rates significantly lower than forecasted at 5.97% "During the pandemic we made it a priority to ensure rates were kept low. At the start of the pandemic, we had just a 1.5% increase and subsequent 4.5% increases. "In both instances we had one of the lowest increases in Canterbury, but unfortunately we can't keep rates artificially low forever without doing a disservice to our residents in the future while maintaining the levels of service the community expects Key issues in the Draft Annual Plan 1. New regulations mean Council needs to test water supplies more regularly and potentially bring forward planned upgrades. 2. Immediate improvements need to be made to the stormwater network following flooding from extreme weather events. 3. Inflation is affecting the roading budget and more is needed to make sure local roads a maintained at a high standard. Other issues In Local Government there continues to be a lot of uncertainty with four central-government driven reform programmes underway- Three Waters, Resource Management Reforms, the Future for Local Government Review as well as Modernising the Emergency Management Framework. WAIMAKARIRI DISTRICT COUNCIL There's also new legislation aimed to meet the challenges of a changing climate. This will affect how the Council runs, as well as new urban planning rules which Council is required to follow. How to have your say For more information or to make a submission visit Waimakariri.govt.nz/letstalk Waimakariri Volunteer Expos Waimakariri District Council's Community Team are joining with their volunteer sector partners to run a series of Volunteer Expos across the District. Following the expo in Kalapol at the weekend there will more coming up in Pegasus and Rangiora Wendy Howe, Council's Community Development Facilitator says. "This is a great opportunity for people who might be thinking about volunteering to find out what opportunities are out there. There's a volunteer opportunity for everyone with a range of activities, needing various skills and experience. "Volunteering can be anything from cooking a community meal to helping out at working bees to training to help in civil emergencies. It's incredibly rewarding and can help people leam news skills and gain experience too." Volunteers enrich our communities and provide an amazing support to many different services across the District. There are lots of organisations completely run by volunteers or heavily reliant on the volunteers to deliver services Groups who will be at the Expos range from emergency services, social services, information services, environmental, arts, community safety and friendship. Upcoming expos: Friday 24 March - Pegasus Community Centre 5-7pm Saturday 25 March - Rangiora Library 10am-12pm Anyone who comes along to the Expo will be in with a chance to win $100 grocery voucher and other prizes - just talk to a few of the organisations and fill in an entry form. Have you signed up for the Waimakariri District Council Newsletter? To join visit: waimakariri.govt.nz/subscribe Newsletter Althe The Waimakariri Event Funds Enterprise North Canterbury is inviting organisers of Waimakariri events to apply for one of two event funds. The funds offer between $500 and $10,000 towards events held in the Waimakariri District. The current funding round is open from 1 March until 31 March 2023. Check out the criteria for the Waimakariri Regional Events Fund and apply online at northcanterbury.co.nz/regional-events-fund Check out the criteria for the Waimakariri Event Fund and apply online at visitwalmakariri.co.nz/events/organisers Or contact events@visitwaimakariri.co.nz for more information The Walmart Regional Events Fund is Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment funding and the Wamakone Event Fund is omakorn District Council Junding Both are administered by ENC MINISTRY OF BUSINES enc & VENT Visit Waimaka WHAT YOU DO, CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE A VOLUNTEER EXPO Celebrating Volunteering. Displays and activities by local groups. Find out how you can make a difference. Kalapol Library-Saturday 10 March 10am-12pm Pegasus Community Centre-Friday 24 March Spm-7pm -Rangiora Library Saturday 25 March 10am-12pm waimakariri.govt.nz What's happening in your community ... Draft Annual Plan Open for Feedback Waimakariri District Council has opened the Draft Annual Plan 2023-24 for public feedback . Since Council adopted the LTP in 2021 , the Waimakariri District , like the rest of New Zealand and the World , has faced many challenges . These include . the effects of Covid - 19 , supply chain issues , rising energy costs and ongoing inflationary pressures . Simply , there's been no economic period quite like this in the last 30 years . Council had projected a rise in rates of 4.3 % for this year , but as inflation has increased , it has put significant pressure on operational budgets . To continue to provide the level of service rate payers expect , it has forced a higher rate increase than expected Council started with a proposed rates increase of 14.4 % After thoroughly reviewing work programmes , looking for savings and at what projects can be deferred to keep increases as low as possible - a significantly lower increase of 5.97 % has been reached Mayor Dan Gordon says he is pleased the Council was able to achieve its goal of keeping rates increases under the cpi inflation rate of 7.2 % " We are pleased to report we have managed to cap our proposed rates significantly lower than forecasted at 5.97 % " During the pandemic we made it a priority to ensure rates were kept low . At the start of the pandemic , we had just a 1.5 % increase and subsequent 4.5 % increases . " In both instances we had one of the lowest increases in Canterbury , but unfortunately we can't keep rates artificially low forever without doing a disservice to our residents in the future while maintaining the levels of service the community expects Key issues in the Draft Annual Plan 1. New regulations mean Council needs to test water supplies more regularly and potentially bring forward planned upgrades . 2. Immediate improvements need to be made to the stormwater network following flooding from extreme weather events . 3. Inflation is affecting the roading budget and more is needed to make sure local roads a maintained at a high standard . Other issues In Local Government there continues to be a lot of uncertainty with four central - government driven reform programmes underway- Three Waters , Resource Management Reforms , the Future for Local Government Review as well as Modernising the Emergency Management Framework . WAIMAKARIRI DISTRICT COUNCIL There's also new legislation aimed to meet the challenges of a changing climate . This will affect how the Council runs , as well as new urban planning rules which Council is required to follow . How to have your say For more information or to make a submission visit Waimakariri.govt.nz/letstalk Waimakariri Volunteer Expos Waimakariri District Council's Community Team are joining with their volunteer sector partners to run a series of Volunteer Expos across the District . Following the expo in Kalapol at the weekend there will more coming up in Pegasus and Rangiora Wendy Howe , Council's Community Development Facilitator says . " This is a great opportunity for people who might be thinking about volunteering to find out what opportunities are out there . There's a volunteer opportunity for everyone with a range of activities , needing various skills and experience . " Volunteering can be anything from cooking a community meal to helping out at working bees to training to help in civil emergencies . It's incredibly rewarding and can help people leam news skills and gain experience too . " Volunteers enrich our communities and provide an amazing support to many different services across the District . There are lots of organisations completely run by volunteers or heavily reliant on the volunteers to deliver services Groups who will be at the Expos range from emergency services , social services , information services , environmental , arts , community safety and friendship . Upcoming expos : Friday 24 March - Pegasus Community Centre 5-7pm Saturday 25 March - Rangiora Library 10 am-12pm Anyone who comes along to the Expo will be in with a chance to win $ 100 grocery voucher and other prizes - just talk to a few of the organisations and fill in an entry form . Have you signed up for the Waimakariri District Council Newsletter ? To join visit : waimakariri.govt.nz/subscribe Newsletter Althe The Waimakariri Event Funds Enterprise North Canterbury is inviting organisers of Waimakariri events to apply for one of two event funds . The funds offer between $ 500 and $ 10,000 towards events held in the Waimakariri District . The current funding round is open from 1 March until 31 March 2023 . Check out the criteria for the Waimakariri Regional Events Fund and apply online at northcanterbury.co.nz/regional-events-fund Check out the criteria for the Waimakariri Event Fund and apply online at visitwalmakariri.co.nz/events/organisers Or contact events@visitwaimakariri.co.nz for more information The Walmart Regional Events Fund is Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment funding and the Wamakone Event Fund is omakorn District Council Junding Both are administered by ENC MINISTRY OF BUSINES enc & VENT Visit Waimaka WHAT YOU DO , CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE A VOLUNTEER EXPO Celebrating Volunteering . Displays and activities by local groups . Find out how you can make a difference . Kalapol Library - Saturday 10 March 10 am-12pm Pegasus Community Centre - Friday 24 March Spm - 7pm -Rangiora Library Saturday 25 March 10 am-12pm waimakariri.govt.nz