Council step closer to setting rates

The Central Otago District Council is one step closer to setting its rates for the 2010-11 financial year.

Members of the council's planning and environment, district development, and operations committees worked through budgets for the coming financial year at meetings in Alexandra yesterday.

Although most estimated budgets which affect rates have been individually set, an overall figure has yet to be calculated and confirmed by the council.

Each ratepayer's bill includes a component for district-wide expenses (such as roading, waste, and water), as well as ward component for assets in specific areas (such as town halls, swimming pools, and reserves).

A general flat fee is also charged.

Ward components of rates have been set by members of each community board in the district during the past month.

At yesterday's meetings, budgets for district-wide services were individually changed and reduced where possible.

More than $500,000 was taken off a $6.97 million operations budget, with cuts to funding for cycle facilities, road safety projects, signs, non-subsidised seal extensions, and potential emergency work.

The $502,506 reduction meant an increase in the 2009-10 rates component was reduced from 14.2% to 6%.

District development committee members shaved $24,124 from a $1.79 million budget after reducing the allocation of funding for business development projects, community planning and management consultants.

It meant an increase on the budget's 2009-10 rates component was reduced from 3.4% to 2%.

The $630,921 planning and environment budget was increased by $25,000 to reimburse committee members for sitting at additional hearings set down for eight weeks during May, June, July and August.

Subsequently, the budget increase rose from 11.2% to 15.6%.

Small increases within budgets included wages for the equivalent of 2.5 full-time staff, due to start at the council in the next year.

- rosie.manins@odt.co.nz

 

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