Photo: Beehive.govt.nzWest Coast mayors and chairs have written to Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta asking the Government to help fund the combined district plan being drafted for the Coast. Although the West Coast Regional Council has the power to rate for the cost it has chosen not to, saying West Coast ratepayers are in no position to pay more, especially since the Covid downturn. In a letter to the minister the Coast leaders say the region has a small rating base, with limited avenues of funding available to it. Funded properly, Te Tai o Poutini Plan could deliver on the Government ambitions and set an example of robust, forward-thinking planning at regional level, the regional leaders said. The Coast leaders have also told Ms Mahuta they want an economic impact assessment done of SNAs to gauge the opportunitycost of protection versus development.

Source: Otago Daily Times November 24, 2020 01:07 UTC