Western Bay of Plenty District Council has received 371 submissions to its draft 2014/2015 Annual Plan.

The draft plan outlines proposals for a $23.5 million work programme and a range of policies.

Of the 371 submissions, more than 300 related to a proposal that would see $65,000 of Council funding go to the Katikati Heritage Museum to cover the museum's mortgage and interest payments.

Of these submissions, more than 200 supported one of the proposed funding options for the museum and 58 opposed funding.

The options are to fund on a district-wide basis from the General Rate; to fund over the Katikati Community Board area of benefit only; or to split the rate between the district and the Katikati Community Board area of benefit.

More than 170 submitters provided feedback to a proposal that would see a move to one charge for the district's five wastewater schemes and one charge for Western Bay's three water schemes. More than 90 opposed the amalgamation with the remainder being in favour.

Other key submission themes related to proposed rates increase and feedback on specific projects within Council's activities.

Under the draft plan, Council expects to receive income of $54.78 million from rates for the 2014/15 financial year – compared to $51.06 million in the 2013/14 year. This takes into account the District Rate, Community Board Rates and Uniform Annual Charges.

Council is proposing an average rate increase of 4.68 per cent (including growth and inflation).

Council says this is considerably lower than the 6 per cent forecast in the 2012-2022 Long Term Plan and is 0.49 per cent less than last year's average rate increase. The proposed average rate increase is 1.98 per cent above growth (0.50 per cent) and inflation (2.20 per cent).

Total costs in the 2014/15 year are expected to be $96.1 million, of which $61.3 million will be spent on maintaining existing Council assets and delivering required services.

Council will hear submitters wanting to speak to their submission from Monday, 12 to Wednesday, 14 May.

It will meet again on Monday, 9 and Tuesday, 10 June to make final decisions on issues and expects to formally adopt the 2014/2015 Annual Plan on Thursday, 26 June.