The Thames-Coromandel District Council says early forecasts point towards a rates increase of about 2 per cent for the 2015/16 financial year.

If this happens the rates increase will be less than the 2.61 per cent projected for Year Two in the council's Long Term Plan 2015-2025.

An average rates increase across each Community Boards ranging from 1 to 5 per cent, similar to what was projected in the LTP, has also been forecasted.

Mayor Glenn Leach says council is going over its work programme and budgets to form the 2016/17 Annual Plan, and there is little variation from what was planned for the year in the LTP.

'Our 2015-2025 LTP is a realistic work programme with modest rates increases, it's good to see that we have stuck to what we said we would in our LTP and that very little has been changed for the year ahead,” he says.

'We're continuing with our proposed work programme and there are only small differences to adapt to changes in circumstances as more detailed cost estimates and tenders are received.”

Glenn says council's focus continues to be on delivering core business and progressing its major projects - the Coromandel Great Walks, the Coromandel Harbour infrastructure upgrade, stage two of the Hauraki Rail Trail from Kopu to Kaiaua and stage two of the WWI Memorial Forest project.

'All these major projects are not falling solely to our ratepayers as we have external partners and funds contributing to them.

'Council will adopt the final Annual Plan at its June 29 meeting. In the meantime, we're still finalising the 2016/17 work programme and the budgets so some of the details may yet change,” says Glenn.

Council is inviting feedback from the community about the work programmes and any issues within their specific wards, or across the district.

A series of community information sessions will also be held across the peninsula:

WHANGAMATA
Wednesday March 23 – April 1
Whangamata Area Office, 620 Port Road
During normal office hours, 8:30am – 4pm
(Excludes Easter weekend from Good Friday to Easter Monday).

TAIRUA
Saturday, March 26
Fireman's Market, Tairua Fire Station, Main Road
10am – 12pm.

PAUANUI
Saturday, March 26
Pauanui Community Hub, 23 Centreway
10am – 12pm.

THAMES
Friday, April 29
Thames Civic Centre, 200 Mary Street
11:30am – 1:30pm.

COROMANDEL-COLVILLE
Tuesday, April 12
Coromandel Town office
12 – 1pm

MERCURY BAY
Friday, April 1
Mercury Bay Community Board meeting room, 10 Monk Street, Whitianga.
2 – 4pm.

For more information and to see the proposed works for the 2016/17 financial year visit the Thames-Coromandel District Council's Annual Plan web page.