I’m baaacckk!

Well, I waited all summer for summer to arrive, just as you probably have. What a changeable season we have had! Just as the weather has gone hot and cold, so has council of late. We started back with a round of workshops and meetings in preparation of the Draft Annual Plan. Now, since the change to local government law with the Local Government Act 2002, the way annual planning goes is this - we have a Long Term Council Community Plan which sets the path for the city for the next ten years, then, in years 2 & 3 we have an Annual Plan. The Annual Plan is essentially a budgeting exercise and brings forward any exceptions and slight changes which need to be done but the direction is all contained in the LTCCP. In Year 4, we review the LTCCP and after consultation we update the community outcomes and set the direction again for the following ten years - the seven remaining years plus three new. Is this confusing?

Year 1
LTCCP -> -> (looking forward 10 years)
Year 2 Annual Plan (exceptions to the LTCCP and any budgeting changes necessary)
Year 3 Annual Plan
Year 4 - LTCCP looking forward 10 years.

Theoretically, there should be no surprises in the Draft Annual Plan. Everything there, should have been signalled in the LTCCP. There will always be some exceptions but these should be consistent with the overall direction set down in the LTCCP.

The Draft Annual Plan is now out for consultation and can be collected from Customer Services.
Our first full LTCCP is underway and there will be extensive public consultation in setting the outcomes and direction for us for the next ten years. Watch this space!