After a ''torrid'' long-term plan submissions hearing process, the Otago Regional Council is moving towards reducing rural sector pain arising from what many rural submitters view as proposed high charges.
Some of the proposed charges are linked to implementation of council's 6A water quality improvement plan by 2020.
Other charges arise from planned work involving flood and drainage schemes, including on the Taieri where some farmers had faced a 22% increase in the scheme charge.
It had initially also been proposed that some rural landholders pay a new water quality targeted rate, linked to the 6A plan, and which would fund 75% of the costs of the required science and monitoring work.
Initially, this targeted rate would have resulted in some landholders paying a total of $813,000 in the 2015-16 financial year.
A recently-released internal ORC report, considered by a council LTP hearing panel yesterday, suggested lowering this rate to $633,000.
But panel members subsequently supported a slower phase-in of the water quality rate. This meant the required funding would drop to $507,000 - a 38% reduction on the originally proposed levy.
Panel members had recommended a suggestion, supported by Cr Louise Croot and others, for the targeted rate to meet only 60% of the science and monitoring costs initially, with some further costs to be phased in over the next few years, moving up to the 75% level.
And the panel proposes that flood protection rate rises be capped at 10% in any year, greatly reducing the mooted 22% rise.
The panel has now largely completed its deliberations after a week of regional hearings on the ORC's proposed 2015-25 LTP, including Dunedin hearings over two days.
Council chairman Stephen Woodhead earlier took issue with the mooted 22% rise and actively took part in discussing alternatives to that increase.
During the earlier discussion, Cr Brown said he was ''not happy'' and said the earlier proposed forms of targeted rate were ''too tough''.
He also said that aspects of the ORC's consultation document ''For Our Future'' were ''seriously inadequate'' and there had been a lack of key detail.
After the panel's main deliberations were over, Cr Brown said the lower levels of charges were ''definitely an improvement''.
Panel chairman Cr David Shepherd said the hearing process had been ''torrid'' at times but he appreciated the efforts of all involved, including community submitters and ORC staff.
The ORC had faced some ''difficulties'' in dealing with the LTP consultation process after local government changes, but councillors had listened carefully to submitters and responded to their concerns.
The council had learned from the process and, in future, would probably seek earlier consultation and with more detail, he said.
The hearing panel will make recommendations to the ORC finance and corporate committee's meeting on June 3, which will in turn offer recommendations to the full council which will make the final decision on June 24.
