ORC

Otago regional ratepayers will face a 5.34% increase in general rates if the Otago Regional Council votes to go ahead with investing in Tarras Water Ltd's irrigation scheme.

The Otago Regional Council has awarded new contracts for Dunedin public bus services, despite a threat from the New Zealand Transport Agency that it would not subsidise the services.

Recipients of the Otago Regional Council's new Twitter alert flood warning system have been ''baffled'' by spam-like tweets.

Final approval has been given by the Local Government Commission for the Otago Regional Council to increase the number of its councillors in time for this year's local body elections.

Proposals to streamline the resource consent process and increase local government productivity came under fire from the Otago Regional Council this week.

The Otago Regional Council is maintaining secrecy around its procurement of public bus contracts, despite pressure from the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for the council to adopt national guidelines.

Taieri farmers' quest for a greater rates contribution from the wider community, in recognition of the significant contribution their area makes to Dunedin, might be unsuccessful.

Otago Regional Council staff and a solicitor acting for private developers have locked horns over whether a proposed subdivision in Outram should proceed.

Council support services manager Gerard Collings said construction of the council chamber, which had a tender price of $615,000, was on schedule with the goal of it being completed in April. Wall frames went up this week and the steel work was expected to go in next week.

A potentially toxic algae which appeared in Otago waterways last month is disappearing, but has been replaced by another potentially lethal algae.