South Wairarapa District Council is extremely keen to hear input from the community on two important consultations that opened today for the 2025/34 Long-Term Plan (LTP) and Local Water Done Well (LWDW).
2025/34 Long-Term Plan
The council acknowledges that South Wairarapa ratepayers have faced unsustainable rates increases over the past few years, says Deputy Mayor Melissa Sadler-Futter, who invites community input.
The proposed total rates rise for the 2025/26 year is 4.3% or $1.24 million, which is based on budgeted options outlined in the LTP consultation document. The final increase will depend on decisions the council makes in response to community feedback.
“Who knows our community better than you? Your feedback will help shape the future, so let’s chat. This plan is only a draft proposal, and by no means set in stone, so please come and talk to us.”
The proposals in the LTP consultation cover
- Alternate ways to distribute rates
- Operating our water network
- Prioritising our roading improvements
Local Water Done Well consultation (LWDW)
The second consultation is for Local Water Done Well which calls on our community to indicate their preference on one of the biggest council decisions in decades – how drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater will be managed in the future – either under a new Council-Controlled Organisation for Wairarapa-Tararua or continued under the existing approach – Wellington Water Ltd.
How to have your say
- Come to a community drop in session and talk to elected members
- Visit haveyoursay.swdc.govt.nz to see the consultation document and submit online.
- Pop into any of our three libraries of the council office at 19 Kitchener Street, Martinborough to pick up a paper submission form to fill in.
Both consultations are open until Sunday 6 April.
