Public gets say on city's future

Rates rise, sewage spills, infrastructure development - which irks you most and how best to deal with them in the next 10 years?
Pour out your frustration and offer suggestions on what direction Whangarei should take when submissions on the district's draft Long Term Council Community Plan 2009-19 open next week.
The draft plan was approved by the district councillors at their meeting yesterday and goes out for month-long public consultation from April 8.
Proposed rates rise of 3 per cent each year for the duration of the plan means an average household will pay an extra $51 in rates next year.
An average residential or lifestyle homeowner will pay $494 for general rates, $237 for uniform annual general charge, $40 for recreational facilities, $15 for coastal amenities, $135 for refuse, $505 for sewerage and $311 in water charges for 2009-10.
Planned property sales of about $18million will help pay off council debt, which will be capped at $130million.
The planned sales exclude the $7.4million the council recently got for selling the Kaituna Block on Whangarei Harbour and a 55ha forestry block on Kioreroa Rd.
No budget has been put aside to deal with sewage spills, apart from a short-term $4million fix that could cut harbour sewage spills to one every two years.
The biggest spending, about $257million, is on roads - a large part of which will be from Government taxes.
A major roading project will be a new $33.7million harbour crossing link to Pohe Island to improve traffic flows in the city.
Parks will receive $15million, and $74.4million will be spent on water systems.
Total expense in the 10 years is forecast to increase from $107million to $138 million, while revenue will also increase, from $123million to $155million.
Some councillors were disappointed the 355-page draft report was too lengthy for the public to read, while a summarised eight-page version did not include all information ratepayers needed to know.
Councillor Sheryl Mai said the summary did not highlight small points such as no new public toilet or play areas had been budgeted for in the next 10 years. Crs Phil Halse and Vince Cocurullo also expressed concern at the length of the document.
But deputy mayor Kahu Sutherland and Crs Greg Martin and Sharon Morgan thought the public would be able to see through the entire document and make submissions accordingly.
Cr Brian McLachlan said the council's decision to sell-off its properties and repay debt was a major issue that should be debated.
Submissions will be accepted from April 8 to May 8 and can be sent via post, by email to ltccp@wdc.govt.nz, online at www.wdc.govt.nz/ltccp, by calling 0800 932 463, or fax to (09) 438 7632. Hearings will be from May 26-28.
The final plan will be adopted by the end of June.