10 Year Plan – A plan that describes the activities of a local authority, its community outcomes, and its long-term focus in terms of decisions and activities. This is the same as our Long-Term Plan (LTP).
Activity statement - This statement describes the amount of money needed to operate and maintain facilities and services and to cover capital expenses within an activity function.
Annual Plan – A plan that describes the activities of the local authority in relation to the LTP, with a particular focus on the financial year for which the document is produced.
Asset – Something of value that Council owns on behalf of the people of Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai Lower Hutt, such as roads, drains, parks, and buildings.
Asset Management Plan – A long-term plan for managing an asset to ensure that it continues to have the capacity to provide an agreed level of service and that costs over the life of the asset are minimised.
Assumptions / assumed – refers to accepting certain conditions or premises as true or valid without explicit confirmation, often used as the basis for decision-making or planning.
Balanced operating budget - A balanced operating budget occurs when a Council's projected operating revenue matches or exceeds its planned operating expenditure, ensuring that the Council does not spend more than it earns.
Borrowings - refers to obtaining funds from external sources, typically through loans or bonds, to finance projects or cover expenses.
Capital expenditure – Money spent on acquiring or building long-term Council assets.
Capital value - The value of land plus additions such as buildings, driveways, and fences.
Central Business District (CBD) – Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai Lower Hutt’s city centre.
Community Boards – A local elected body set up under the Local Government Act 2002. Community boards are consulted by Council and can represent community concerns to Council. Hutt City Council has three community boards: Eastbourne, Petone and Wainuiomata.
Compliance - Compliance refers to adhering to relevant laws, regulations, policies, and standards set forth by governing bodies or authorities, ensuring that the Council operates within legal and ethical boundaries.
Consultation Document - a document that clearly explains matters proposed to be included in the 10 Year Plan and provides an opportunity for the public to participate in decision making. It explains objectives, significant issues, and how rates, dept and levels of service might be affected as a result of those decisions. The content requirements of the consultation document are set out in the Local Government Act 2002.
Council-Controlled Organisation (CCO) – A company or Trust, in which Council is at least a 50% shareholder that independently manages facilities, delivers services, and undertakes developments on behalf of the Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai Lower Hutt community. Where necessary, Council provides operational funding to these organisations.
Critical infrastructure - Assets which provide critical services and failure of which could result in major outages or disruptions to service such as reservoirs, pumping stations and main network pipes.
Democracy - A way Council govern themselves. It can be used to mean community participation in decision making between elections, as well as at elections.
Depreciation (amortisation) – an expense charged each year to reflect the estimated cost of using our assets over their lives. Amortisation relates to ‘intangible’ assets such as software (as distinct from physical assets, which are covered by the term depreciation).
Development contribution - A payment made by a developer to cover part of the costs of providing infrastructure to a new development, i.e. “growth” related cost.
Employee Costs – The costs of all staff expenditure, including wages, salaries and related taxes, training, and recruitment costs. Remuneration of elected and appointed representatives is also included under this heading. This does not include CCO director fees, which are included in operating expenditure.
Financial Year – Council’s financial year runs from 1 July to 30 June of the following year.
General rates - The rates levied on most properties for general services including residential, rural, business and utility. They are levied on the basis of zoning, land use and capital value.
Grant or subsidy - Money given from local or central government or other funds to a person or group for a specified purpose.
Hearing - Meeting at which members of the public speak formally to elected representatives and/or staff about an issue.
Income - Revenue gained from all sources during the year, such as rates, grants, special funds, subsidies, and fees and charges. Income does not include loans or the proceeds in excess of the net book value from the sale of assets.
Inflation - Inflation is the gradual increase in the prices of goods and services in an economy over time.
Infrastructure - The stock of fixed capital equipment that helps a community to function. This includes the pipes and machinery that allow Council’s to collect and manage water, wastewater, storm water and rubbish, as well as assets such as roads and buildings.
Intergenerational equity - refers to the principle of ensuring fairness and sustainability in decision-making processes that impact present and future generations, aiming to distribute resources, benefits, and burdens fairly across different generations while preserving the environment and meeting the needs of both current and future residents.
Local Government Act 2002 – The key legislation that defines the powers and responsibilities of local authorities like Hutt City Council.
Long Term Plan (LTP) – See 10-Year Plan, above. Maintenance costs – Money spent to keep the Council’s assets in working condition, such as repairs and maintenance.
Mana Whenua – Māori who have historic and territorial rights over the land. Mana Whenua refers to iwi and hapū who have these rights in Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai Lower Hutt. The tribe’s history and narratives are based in the lands they have occupied over generations and the land enables and sustains the people, the places, and the processes of Te Ao Māori (Māori worldview).
Operating Expenditure – Money spent on the day-to-day operations of the Council.
Operating Projects – Significant projects that do not result in the creation of Council assets.
Performance Measure – A measure that shows how well Council is doing in achieving the goals it has set for itself.
Policy - A policy is a predetermined course of action or set of guidelines established by the Council to guide decision-making, address specific issues, or achieve particular goals within the community.
PPE – An accounting term for Property, plant and equipment representing all the assets of the Council, such as land buildings, pipes, roads, community facilities.
Rates – A form of property tax. In Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai Lower Hutt, we have both General Rates and Targeted Rates. General Rates are based on a property’s capital value, and Council use this money to invest in things like footpaths and libraries. Targeted Rates are a fixed amount for each rating unit or separately used and inhabitable part (SUIP) of a rating unit. Targeted rates pay for things like Water or Wastewater.
Residents Satisfaction Survey (RSS) – This survey is conducted using a panel system, where a group of residents receive surveys to provide feedback on the city.
Resource consent - Where a Council, using delegated authority under the Resource Management Act, gives an applicant permission for a particular land use activity.
Resource Management Act (RMA) - Resource Management Act (RMA) is New Zealand’s main piece of legislation that sets out how Council should manage our environment.
Revenue - Revenue represents the income generated by the Council through various sources, such as taxes, fees, grants, and other sources, which are crucial for funding public services and initiatives within the community.
Significance – The degree of importance of an issue, proposal, decision, or matter as assessed by a local authority in terms of its likely consequences for the current and future social, economic, environmental, or cultural wellbeing of the community.
Significant Activity – An activity deemed to be significant according to Council’s Significance and Engagement Policy.
Seaview Marina Limited (SML) – This is a Council-controlled organisation which is Wellington’s newest and fastest developing marina, situated at the sheltered northeast end of Wellington Harbour.
Strategy - A policy is a predetermined course of action or set of guidelines established by the Council to guide decision-making, address specific issues, or achieve particular goals within the community.
Submission - Feedback or proposal from a citizen or group on an issue aimed to influence judgement at the Council level at times such as draft Annual Plan, Long Term Plan or other new significant plans.
Targeted rate – Any rate levied other than the general rate, which is targeted at users of a service such as water supply, wastewater, refuse and recycling, and the Jackson Street Programme.
Three Waters / Water Services - A term for grouping the three water services provided by Councils together: water supply; wastewater; and stormwater.
Urban Plus Limited (UPL) & Urban Plus Limited Developments Limited (UPLD DL) – These are Council-controlled organisations and are multidisciplined property companies. They provide high quality residential property development, rental housing portfolio management and strategic property services.
User charges – Income to Council through fees and charges paid by those who use specific services Council provides.
Waste levy - The waste disposal levy raises revenue for initiatives to reduce waste and encourage resource recovery (e.g., composting and recycling).
Wellington Water Ltd - Wellington region’s professional water services provider. They are 100 percent Council owned and funded, and their job is to provide safe and healthy drinking water, collect and treat wastewater, and ensure the stormwater network is well managed.
Works programme - The works programme sets out the plans to be carried out over the next 10 years, such as pipeline renewal upgrades, enhanced cycle tracks, or equipment replacements. The schedule includes the year the work will take place, the costs of the work and the source of funding.