Latest News Draft 10-Year Plan out for Consultation Now Submissions are being called for on the Council’s Draft Long-Term Council Community Plan for 2009/19.   The Plan was approved for release to the public for consultation today.  Masterton Mayor Garry Daniell said the Plan had taken into account some uncertainties about the economy, the cost of the urban wastewater project, the cost of Council contracts and what legislation might be ahead.  “Bearing that in mind, we believe this Plan is going to be sustainable and affordable over time. We have considered the cost to our community and know times could be a bit tight ahead so we have tried to hold our costs.  However, we can’t delay the urban wastewater upgrade and that is one of the major contributors to the urban rate increase.  The Riversdale sewerage scheme will increase rates in that area too,” Mr Daniell said.  The overall proposed increase in rates for 2009/10 is 5.3%, although this will vary because of valuation changes.  A detailed summary of the draft Plan, which includes information about rates and expenditure, will run in next week’s Midweek newspaper.  Additional copies of the summary are also at the Council, library and online.  “While the summary contains a lot of useful information, it remains a summary of the full draft Plan so it’s a good idea to have a look at the detail in the actual plan itself before making your submission,” Mr Daniell said.  Copies of the Plan and the summary are available at the library and Council office, and on the Council’s website http://www.mstn.govt.nz/planning/index.php Submissions close at 4pm on May 22 and will be heard on June 3 and 4.  The plan will be adopted by June 30, 2009. 22 April 2009