Feedback has closed on Christchurch City Council’s budget for the next 10 years, with close to 7,000 submissions coming in from the community.
“We’ve had a number of last-minute submissions that we’re still processing, but it’s looking like we’ve comfortably exceeded the 2,382 we got in the 2021–2031 LTP,” says Mayor, Phil Mauger.
“We can see from the submissions that people have been doing a lot of careful thinking, and are taking the issues that face Christchurch and Banks Peninsula very seriously.
“A first look at all the feedback suggests broad support for proposals like the sale of surplus Council-owned land, the gifting of Yaldhurst Memorial Hall, changes to visitor accommodation rates and extending the City Vacant Differential rate,” the Mayor said.
“There was mixed feedback on our proposals to charge for car parking in key parks around the city, our spending on cycleways, and our proposed rates increase.
“A couple of issues have emerged in the feedback that weren’t part of our proposals – funding for the Arts Centre and Orana Park – and councillors will have to weigh these up as we make our final deliberations together.”
Consultation on the budget was open for five weeks. The next step in the process is for submitters to speak to their submissions in public hearings in May. The hearings will be live-streamed on the Council website. Further information on the hearings schedule will soon be available on the Council website and at Council libraries and service centres.
Council says every submission will now be analysed by staff and considered by the Mayor and Councillors, prior to approval of the Long Term Plan in June.
