Unexpected income and a deferred grant have provided a $170,000 boost to the Cromwell Community Board's coffers, helping to reduce a rates rise.
The board this week heard a rise of 8.8%, as set out in the long-term plan, had been re-estimated down to 6.6% and the board's accounts for this financial year were looking considerably better than expected.
A budgeted deficit of $433,000 was now more likely to be about $94,000, Central Otago District Council corporate services manager Susan Finlay said.
That was aided by an unbudgeted profit of $95,000 on the sale of the old medical centre and deferring a $75,000 grant, which was to be directly funded through rates, to the Sports Turf Trust.
Money from the medical centre sale, as well as other property sales, had generated more interest than expected, meaning less rates needed to be collected.
Parks and reserves expenditure was also ''down considerably'', though levels of service had been unaffected.
The Sports Turf Trust will be granted a total of $150,000, split equally over two years with the money in the first year, 2014-15, coming from the reserves contribution account and in the second year, coming directly from rates.
Money from the medical centre sale will go towards the Cromwell Memorial Hall upgrade.
Board member Tom Pinckney said he was concerned about the consistency of allocating money to such things, citing contributions to the Bannockburn Hall which would be directly funded by rates.
Board chairman Neil Gillespie said it was a historic decision to make people more aware of the cost of things.
Such contributions were once paid out of the board's development account, but there was a concern ratepayers would not be able to see where their money was going and direct rating would help solve that.
''It's about getting back to a position where we're not just selling assets to fund things.''
The board had agreed to put $250,000 towards the hall, which is council-funded but will be handed over to the community.
It had already given $52,500 and the remainder would be split over two years on the basis some would be uplifted at the end of the 2014-15 year and the rest at the start of the 2015-16 year.
Board members discussed deferring that grant for another year.
The numbers were still at a draft stage and were subject to change but would come back before the board at its next meeting. The 6.6% increase is for the Cromwell ward component of rates.
The overall average district rate rise is about 3.5%, although that, too, is still a draft figure.
