Tauranga City Council's annual plan hearings on hold

Tauranga city's annul plan hearings set to take place next week deferred. Photo / File

Tauranga City Council's annual plan hearings have been placed on hold as consideration is given to revising the plan and re-consulting with the community.

The draft 2020-2021 annual plan sets the council's budget and proposed work plans for the year starting July 1 and identifies any changes from the Long-term Plan 2018-28.

The consultation period ended on May 3, with 285 written submissions received and 72 requests from submitters to be able to speak with councillors during hearings originally scheduled to take place from May 13 to May 15.

The annual plan hearings have been placed on hold.

The council said the deferrals were needed because of the financial disruption, lack of certainty about future Covid-19 alert levels and the likelihood it would need to re-consult with the community on a revised plan in the coming weeks.

The draft annual plan had rapidly become "out-of-date" since consultation with the community started on April 3.

Disruption to council finances meant it might not be possible for some of the services and building projects described in the consultation documents to be provided.

If a new round of consultation does take place, people will be given the option of "retaining, revising or retracting" their original submissions.

The council said anyone who asked to address councillors in relation will be advised of new hearing dates when the matter was finalised.

Today's council meeting included a proposal for a revised approach to the annual plan process that takes into account the financial situation created by Covid-19 restrictions. The report is in the agenda on our website.