Mosgiel Taieri Community Board chairman Bill Feather has urged the Dunedin City Council not to delay planning for a new swimming pool in the town.
Last year, a $11.5 million Mosgiel pool complex was confirmed as the top-priority project by the council's aquatic facilities working party.
But the council delayed any work on the complex for a year pending the outcome of further investigations into the wider aquatic services picture.
Mr Feather said the council's figures showed patronage at the Mosgiel pool had risen from 27,014 swims in 2008-09 to 46,989 in 2010-11.
"There is certainly a shift as to where people are swimming and that raises a question about whether Moana Pool can service the needs of Mosgiel swimmers."
Mosgiel deserved to have a replacement pool without delays, he said.
In response to Cr Teresa Stevenson, Mr Feather said he did not think Mosgiel Taieri ratepayers would accept the introduction of a targeted rate to pay for a new pool.
The board did not support any reduction in council funding for infrastructure and amenity projects which affected safety or quality, and supported continued funding to organisations and projects facing funding cuts including the city safety programme, Ocean Beach erosion plans, the ramps and step at St Clair and the artificial turf at Logan Park, Mr Feather said.
Given the board wanted items added to the budget rather than removed, Cr Jinty MacTavish asked Mr Feather what the maximum rate rise the Mosgiel community would accept "to put all these things back in".
"I'm sorry, I'm not able to answer that," Mr Feather said.
The Waikouaiti Coast Community Board asked the council to investigate selling less useful reserve lands in its area and invest the money into funding key reserves such as Mt Watkin.
The council could also look at selling other non-core assets throughout the city which were not providing a reasonable return, chairman Gerard Collings said. That would free up money for other spending.
Council support was sought for the Waitati community to meet the total cost of new public toilets at Waitati. Once completed, the toilets would be handed over the council.
However, council staff said new toilets at Waitati had not been identified as a priority in the council's 10-year public toilet service review plan. The board's case did not change that view, staff said.
