(1) The Board must prepare for each financial year a draft annual plan, which must outline in particular terms for the financial year to which the plan relates, and in general terms for each of the following 2 financial years,—
(2) During the preparation of, and before the publication of, the draft annual plan, the chairperson of the Board must meet with a person appointed by the Auckland Council for the purpose as often as may be necessary to determine if aspects of the annual plan, including the amount of the proposed levy, should be referred to a meeting or meetings of the Auckland Council, either jointly with the Board or separately, for consideration before the draft annual plan is published.
(3) The draft annual plan must include an explanation of any significant changes between the policies, objectives, activities, and performance targets proposed in the draft annual plan and those specified in the annual plan adopted for the immediately preceding financial year.
(4) The draft annual plan must, immediately after it has been prepared to the satisfaction of the Board, be made available to the general public and forwarded to the Auckland Council and the Society.
(5) Any person, including the Auckland Council and the Society, may, within 1 month after publication of the draft annual plan, make a written submission to the Board in relation to any matters contained in the draft annual plan.
(7) The Board must give to every person making a submission under subsection (5) a reasonable opportunity to appear and be heard in relation to that submission.
(8) Subject to section 9(3), every meeting of the Board (or of any committee of the Board) at which submissions are heard, or at which the Board deliberates, on the proposed annual plan must be open to the public.
(9) After considering the submissions and making such modifications to the draft annual plan as the Board may consider appropriate in the light of the submissions, the Board must refer the draft annual plan to the Auckland Council for approval of the levy.
(10) If the Board and the Auckland Council cannot reach agreement on the amount of the levy, the dispute must be referred to an independent arbitrator appointed by them both (or by the Local Government Commission continued by section 28 of the Local Government Act 2002 if they are unable to agree on the person to be appointed), who will determine the levy taking into account the minimum obligations placed on the Board by this Act and the submissions of both parties, and the levy so determined is the levy to be made for that financial year under section 21(1).
(11) Every determination pursuant to subsection (10) must be made in time for the Board to comply with its responsibilities under section 21(5) on or before 30 April immediately preceding the commencement of the financial year to which the levy relates and the Board and the Auckland Council must comply with the requirements of subsections (1) to (10) by such dates as will enable the requirements of this subsection to be met.
(12) After approval of the levy (either in the amount stipulated in the draft annual plan referred to the Auckland Council under subsection (9) or in such other amount as may subsequently be agreed upon between the Board and the Auckland Council) or determination of the levy pursuant to subsection (10), the Board must adopt the draft annual plan as referred to the Auckland Council under subsection (9), subject to any modifications required by any difference in the amount of the levy agreed with the Auckland Council or determined pursuant to subsection (10).
(13) The annual plan must be adopted by the Board no later than 30 April immediately preceding the commencement of the financial year to which the annual plan applies.
(14) Within 20 days of adopting the annual plan, the Board must—
Section 20(2): amended, on 1 November 2010, by section 113(1) of the Local Government (Auckland Transitional Provisions) Act 2010 (2010 No 37).
Section 20(4): amended, on 1 November 2010, by section 113(1) of the Local Government (Auckland Transitional Provisions) Act 2010 (2010 No 37).
Section 20(5): amended, on 1 November 2010, by section 113(1) of the Local Government (Auckland Transitional Provisions) Act 2010 (2010 No 37).
Section 20(6): repealed, on 1 November 2010, by section 113(1) of the Local Government (Auckland Transitional Provisions) Act 2010 (2010 No 37).
Section 20(9): amended, on 1 November 2010, by section 113(1) of the Local Government (Auckland Transitional Provisions) Act 2010 (2010 No 37).
Section 20(10): amended, on 1 November 2010, by section 113(1) of the Local Government (Auckland Transitional Provisions) Act 2010 (2010 No 37).
Section 20(11): amended, on 1 November 2010, by section 113(1) of the Local Government (Auckland Transitional Provisions) Act 2010 (2010 No 37).
Section 20(12): amended, on 1 November 2010, by section 113(1) of the Local Government (Auckland Transitional Provisions) Act 2010 (2010 No 37).
Section 20(14)(c): amended, on 1 November 2010, by section 113(1) of the Local Government (Auckland Transitional Provisions) Act 2010 (2010 No 37).