Council may get business analyst

A business analyst could be appointed by the Waitaki District Council to provide tighter estimates of the cost of projects and investigate savings.

Yesterday, its corporate services committee recommended the council, at its meeting on September 22, approve the appointment, which could cost about $40,000 for the rest of this financial year.

Apart from providing financial analysis of projects, the business analyst would complete some projects the council wants done.

A list of 13 possible projects had one listed as six years overdue and included another which could offer significant savings.

A business analyst for the remainder of this financial year could be funded from finding savings within the current budget, but next year could require funding up to $77,000.

The council considered creating the position as part of the 2010-11 financial year, but it was turned down. Instead, councillors directed staff to fund the position through savings.

Chief executive Michael Ross said there were "a couple of hundred" projects, about 80% of which needed financial analysis "in one form or another".

Being unable to do that within the financial services unit posed risks for the council, not only in terms of the costs of projects but also in meeting existing and future requirements under Government legislation.

Weston water: Agreement has been reached with property owners along the route of a new pipeline which will take water from the Oamaru treatment plant to Weston consumers as the council moves to meet new drinking-water standards.

Assets group manager Neil Jorgensen said the final alignment for the pipeline had been identified.

The council originally proposed that the pipeline would serve both Weston and consumers on the Enfield water scheme. However, Enfield has not yet committed to that solution.

Mr Jorgensen said no community consultation had yet been undertaken, but staff would meet the Enfield water supply sub-committee to discuss water treatment options.

Waste bylaw: The community will be asked for their views on a new solid waste bylaw the council is aiming to introduce by the end of this year to replace one that has expired.

A draft bylaw was approved yesterday by the assets committee to go out for public consultation.

It has been prepared by a working party of council staff, private refuse collectors, Whitestone Contracting Ltd and a councillor.

The draft bylaw takes into account changes the council has made in handling solid waste, but also addresses issues such as domestic waste being dumped in public rubbish bins, disposal at Waitaki lakes camp sites, putting rubbish on kerbs or next to bins, when rubbish will be collected and leaving waste receptacles on kerbs for longer than 24 hours.