Have your say until Monday 17 September ⌛
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Help us plan for the future
When you think ahead over the next 10 years, what do you see in your mind’s eye in terms of the natural environment around you?
Perhaps you see long hot summers spent at your favourite swim spot, walking your regular track through native bush free from plant and animal pests, or planting out streams on your farm to help improve water quality.
We’re developing a plan for Horizons’ areas of business, including how we will ensure sustainable use of our region’s natural resources, for the next 10 years – and how we propose to rate for it.
This Long-term Plan (LTP) will outline what we are going to deliver from July 2024 to June 2034 and is reviewed every three years.
We have not finalised the LTP yet and we want you to help shape what’s in there, so what you picture for our region is similar to what we’re working towards.
What should our priorities be?
Right now, your councillors are reviewing what Horizons' priorities should be across everything we have planned for the next 10 years to make sure we meet the needs of our community now and into the future.
Substantial change for the sector due to central government reforms, responding to climate change, behind-the-scenes changes required for the organisation to be fit for the future, and affordability of our services for communities are all things for councillors to keep in mind as they go through this process.
Council has also already made a number of commitments to delivering upgrades to provide regular, reliable, low-carbon public transport options such as the electric bus fleet in Palmerston North.
We initially have three priority areas we would like you to think about.
We want to know what you think of these areas, and to rank some activities which could help us achieve them. There is also an opportunity to share any further thoughts around priorities we should focus on.
We will engage with you on specific services as part of the formal consultation process in the first quarter of 2024, but we’re asking you to think about the general direction Council is heading in first.
The feedback you give will help to guide your councillors’ decisions regarding the LTP and what to include in the draft plan. You will be able to formally submit on the LTP next year.
