Plans

Our Annual Plan for 2017/18 was adopted on 22 June 2017.

About the Annual Plan

Council’s strategic blueprint is its Long Term Plan (LTP). The Local Government Act requires all councils to have an LTP, and to produce an updated or new LTP every three years. In the two years in between we have an Annual Plan which adopts the changes or additions to the projects, activities and financial forecasts included in the corresponding year of the LTP.

A change in legislation in 2014 means that we do not need to consult on our annual plans when there is no significant or material difference to the content of the LTP for the relevant year. This year the changes were minor, and as a result we did not consult.

Our Annual Plan for 2019/20 was adopted on 27 June 2019.

The District Plan sets out the activities permitted on any land in the Far North, and the conditions under which these activities are permitted. Click the link below to visit the District Plan.

The Far North Spaces & Places Plan is a facility-focussed plan that helps support the regional strategy for play, active recreation and sport – Kōkiri ai te waka hourua. The regional strategy provides the high-level strategic framework to guide future decision making, with the district level plan providing more detailed guidance for the Far North part of the region. Both documents will help inform Far North District Council’s (FNDC) Long Term Plans (LTPs) and work programmes across the full range of sector organisations in the Far North District.

The purpose of the Far North Spaces & Places Plan 2021-2030 is to support the regional strategy by providing more specific, district level guidance for spaces and places (facilities) planning. It is largely focussed on built (rather than natural) sport, active recreation and play facilities in the Far North District. Planning for play, active recreation and sport facilities is important as the network of facilities provided in a district (and region) should be fit-forpurpose and sustainable. This plan, along with the regional strategy, provides a pathway to achieving a well-planned facilities network through:

• Reflecting on and considering the Far North District’s unique attributes, challenges and advantages.

• Identifying principles and criteria for assessing future spaces and places (facility) development priorities.

• Providing a picture of current and projected future facility demand and supply.

• Aligning with the regional strategy - Kōkiri ai te waka hourua.

• Providing clear recommendations to influence and guide future spaces and places planning, funding and development decisions.

The Long Term Plan is the Council's key strategic planning document. It sets out what the Council plans to do over the next 10 years and how it plans to pay for this. The elected Council adopted the Long Term Plan 2018-28 on 28 June 2018 after an extensive community consultation exercise. 

Councillors deliberated on 12 key proposals contained in the Long Term Plan consultation document and agreed to:

• Invest $11.8m developing a community hub and civic centre in Kaikohe
• Build a new cycle trail between Taumarere and Opua at a cost of $4.6m
• Fund a cycle trail extension from 2022 at $1.875m per annum
• Transfer Russell Wharf to Far North Holdings Limited for $1
• Spend $13.4m upgrading Kaitaia’s wastewater system
• Give each community board $33,333 a year for placemaking projects
• Provide $100,000 a year for district-wide community infrastructure grants allocated by Community Boards
• Provide $80,000 for event and festival grants distributed by Community Boards
• Provide an interest-free loan to the Te Kao community for rainwater tanks at households
• Provide $230,000 for toilets and a pay shower for the Kawakawa Tourism Hub / Te Hononga
• Loan $160,000 to the Hundertwasser Park Charitable Trust to revamp the centre of Kawakawa.

Councillors also decided to include an additional unsubsidised road sealing allocation of $1m per annum, initiate a districtwide roading strategy, bring forward existing plans to prevent flooding of West Coast Rd in Panguru, allocate more funds for animal control, and fund infrastructure works to coincide with construction of the new Taipa Bridge by the NZ Transport Agency.

The Long Term Plan 2018-28 will come into effect on 1 July 2018. It is reviewed each year with the Council consulting on any major changes through the Annual Plan process.

The Long Term Plan (LTP) is the Council's key strategic planning document. It sets out what the Council plans to do over the next 10 years and how it plans to pay for this. The elected Council adopted the Long Term Plan 2021-31 on 24 June 2021 after an extensive community consultation exercise. 

Councillors deliberated on three key proposals contained in the Long Term Plan consultation document and agreed to:

Start the process to identify one or more providers who will provide the best option for partially or fully divesting the 147 Housing for the Elderly units that are currently owned by Council. The sale of the units will only progress if Council is confident it will be in the best interests of tenants and the wider community in the long run.

Go ahead and invest in a 33% shareholding in Northland Inc. This will provide significant benefits including making sure the Far North perspective is embedded in the work programme, ensure greater focus and resourcing for Māori economic development and sustainability, and the promotion of all aspects of community wellbeing.

Make some, but not all, of the changes proposed. Council debated each of the seven proposed changes at length and agreed to:

• No change to the rating basis. The basis for calculating the general rate remains as land value.
• No change to uniform annual general charges (UAGCs). Both the general UAGC and the roading UAGC remain, as do the current differentials for roading.
• No change to targeted rates for water and wastewater. These rates continue to be scheme-based.
• No change to the availability rate for water and wastewater connections. The connection rate remains at 100%.
• No change to the commercial differential. Commercial ratepayers will continue to be levied at a differential of 2.75.
• The targeted rate for stormwater will increase so that 90% of urban stormwater costs are levied on urban ratepayers based on capital value and the remainder funded through the general rate.
• A public good charge of $15 per rateable property for water and $15 per rateable property for wastewater is to be introduced. 

The Long Term Plan 2021-31 will come into effect on 1 July 2021. It is reviewed each year with the Council consulting on any major changes through the Annual Plan process.