The annual budget for work on the West Coast’s new district plan is heading for the $1million mark, and the project will cost ratepayers at least $2.6million over the next three years. Planners managing the workload for Te Tai o Poutini Plan submitted cost estimates this week of $962,500 for the year ahead. The West Coast Regional Council has been charged with administering the process, and given the power to rate to fund it — but has so far avoided doing so. The cost was not unreasonable for the amount of work involved, regional council chairman Allan Birchfield said. The committee is aiming to have the new district plan out for community consultation by April 2022, and notified by the end of June 2023.

Source: Otago Daily Times February 26, 2021 15:36 UTC