Masterton Monthly Wrap
The Masterton Monthly Wrap is a roundup of what the Council has been working on over the last month and what's coming up in our calendar.
Message from the Mayor
Kia ora Masterton!
What will Masterton District look like in 2034? If you think it’s a bit soon to be thinking about that, let me tell you that now is precisely the time for us to shape Masterton’s future together through our Long-Term Plan.
This 10-year Long-Term Plan Consultation Document, which we’ve called Tō Wāhi, Tō Mahere – Your Place, Your Plan, outlines the Council’s priorities and spending proposals to support our community and growth in our district over the next decade. We need you to have your say and help guide our path forward.
Masterton has been growing steadily, with an increasingly diverse population, creating opportunities and challenges that need careful planning. We need to plan for things like upgrading our infrastructure and providing services for a population that is proud to call our district home, as well as attracting new business to the area – all the while keeping challenges such as climate resilience front-of-mind.
This Council is committed to focusing on ensuring essential infrastructure is up to scratch – things like roads, water, and waste networks – but we also want to provide opportunities for growth and innovation. The future holds uncertainties too. Climate impacts, global economics, and regional migration continue to impact Masterton and stretch our resources.
That’s why our proposed plan puts in place actions to allow us to adapt to future challenges as we need to, such as building more water storage, while also keeping front of mind that it is essential we provide value for money for our ratepayers.
You will see we are again asking for your views on some key decisions about a Town Hall, our library, and improving infrastructure in our town centre. These projects were included in the last Long-Term Plan in 2021, but increasing costs mean we believe a change of tack is required.
We’re also proposing some efficiencies now to reduce the rates impact and have a range of reviews planned to ensure services are meeting our community’s needs and being delivered in the most efficient way.
All options we are presenting in our consultation document have been robustly debated and passed at our March Council meeting. The Council needs to increase rates in 2024/25 to continue delivering services in our community. The average increase is 10.6 per cent, driven largely by higher costs in the roading and water activities.
Now we want to hear from you! The consultation document is available online, or at the library and the Council Customer Service Centre, 161 Queen Street.
What do you think of the proposals in this Long-Term Plan consultation document? How do they align with your priorities and hopes for Masterton in 2034? How can the Council best spend within its budgets to enable growth? Your input will shape the final plan adopted in June.
Make sure you take the opportunity to have your say by Monday 6 May. This is our chance to work together for the Masterton we want to see. I look forward to receiving your feedback and understanding your vision for our community’s future.
Three options for...
The Town Hall
Three options are proposed for the Town Hall building, found to be earthquake-prone in 2016:
- The Council’s Preferred Option – Demolish the Town Hall and Municipal Buildings and build a new Town Hall on the current Town Hall site, retain the Municipal Building façade, and expand Waiata House. Cost: $42.6m.
- Alternative Option 1 – Demolish the Town Hall and build a new Town Hall on the site; retain and refurbish the existing Municipal Building including façade; and retain Waiata House. Cost: $49.9m (noting high risk and uncertainty around costs and feasibility).
- Alternative Option 2 – Demolish the Town Hall and Municipal Building and do not replace these buildings; retain Waiata House and the leased Queen Street office. Cost: $3.5m.
The Council’s Preferred Option and Alternative Option 1 include provision and budget to retain the Municipal Building façade. The estimated cost to do this is $1.97m.
The Library and Archive
The Masterton District Library building is currently no longer fit for purpose, and also has a range of maintenance issues that need to be addressed, including water damage, mould, and a leaking roof.
- The Council’s Preferred Option – Upgrade and expand the Library and consider in future a further extension to include the Archive. Cost: $10.75m
- Alternative Option 1 – Upgrade and expand the Library and include the Archive now. Cost: $14.66m
- Alternative Option 2 – Complete essential Library repairs and maintenance only. Cost: $2.3m
Town Centre Improvements
The 2021-31 Long-Term Plan included plans to refurbish Masterton’s town centre while carrying out essential work on the underground water main.
Costs to deliver the Town Centre Revamp project have escalated significantly since 2021, and the Council thinks this is no longer affordable for our community at this time. But the essential infrastructure work still needs to be done.
- The Council’s Preferred Option – Complete essential work to improve water and roading infrastructure in the town centre. There would be no other improvements to Queen Street. Cost: $6.48m
- Alternative Option – Complete essential work to renew water and roading infrastructure in the town centre, and redevelop the town centre to improve the ‘look and feel’ of that space. Cost: $14.12m.
We want the community’s views on the options we have proposed for our big decisions and key infrastructure spending.
Over the next 10 years it is planned to spend:
- $159.9m on roading,
- $51.2m on water,
- $30.9m on wastewater,
- $12.2m on stormwater,
- $90.9m on community facilities and parks, and
- $1.2m on solid waste.
The impact on rates, based on the plans in the proposed LTP, would be an average increase in the 2024/25 year of 10.6 per cent.
Check the health of your home
Get your home ready for winter with the Home Health Assessment Kit.
It’s free to borrow from your local library and will help you check things like:
- your insulation
- how damp your home is
- how much power your appliances are using
- whether your firewood is ready to burn
Visit our Home Health Assessment Kit web page for more information.
Grants open for Matariki events
Applications are now open to groups and individuals planning community events for Matariki, with grants of up to $500 available for activities running between Monday 24 June and Sunday 14 July.
To register for inclusion on the Follow the Stars events map for Te Ara O Ngā Whetū O Matariki, and apply for a grant, activities must be aligned to one of the nine stars in Matariki and be open to the public.
Registrations are required by Friday 24 May. Visit the Matariki page for more information or pick up a hard-copy form the Council’s Queen Street Office or Masterton District Library.
Download Antenno
To keep up-to-date and report issues, download Antenno from your Apple App store or Google Play store.
Antenno is the best way to get the latest information about living and working in Masterton.
The Antenno app is free, easy and secure – there’s no need to share personal information with us. Download the app, let us know where you are, what topics you’re interested in and you’re all set.
Council Meetings
The meetings of the Council and its committees for the coming month are listed below.
Unless specified, all meetings will be held in the Kiwi Room at Waiata House, 27 Lincoln Road, Masterton. Members of the public are welcome to attend these meetings. The meetings will also be accessible to the public via the livestream on our YouTube channel. Agendas are available online and copies will be available for inspection at the main Council office, 161 Queen Street, and at the Library, 54 Queen Street, two working days before the meeting.
Opportunity for Public Comment
At the beginning of some meetings, a period is available for those who want to speak or comment on any matter relevant to the meeting in question. Requests to speak at a meeting should be made to Harriet Kennedy, Governance Team Leader by calling 370 6300 or emailing mdc@mstn.govt.nz at least one clear day before the meeting.
What’s On
Thursday 25 April - Anzac Day
Monday 6 May
10am Submissions close on the 2024-34 Long-Term Plan
Wednesday 8 May
9:30am Council meeting
Wednesday 22 May
9am 2024-34 Long-Term Plan Hearing
1pm Audit and Risk Committee meeting
Thursday 23 May
9am 2024-34 Long-Term Plan Hearing continued
Friday 24 May
4pm Matariki grant applications close
Wednesday 29 May
3pm Infrastructure and Services Committee meeting
Monthly Wraps 2024
If you would like to read monthly wraps from 2023 and earlier, you can request them by emailing communications@mstn.govt.nz.