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Monday 22 June 2009

Long Term Plan to be adopted

Clutha District Council’s Long Term Council Community Plan 2009-19 is to be adopted at a special meeting this Thursday 25 June starting at 5.30pm.

Chief Executive Charles Hakkaart said that following the consultation process and several requests for additional funding, provision had been made in the final budgets for additional expenditure. Some of this includes:

• An additional $20,000 to the District Development Board budget for next year for the ongoing employment of a Community Coordinator beyond 2009.
• $28,700 a year for the next two years, with a right of renewal of two years, to the South Otago Historical Society towards the employment of a curator for the South Otago Museum.
• $20,000 to Taieri Mouth Amenities Society towards construction of a boat ramp.
• $15,000 next year towards the Lawrence 150 Year celebrations.
• $10,000 a year for three years to the Clutha Gold Trail Charitable Trust towards the development of the Roxburgh-Lawrence Trail.
• Continued support of the Gore Women’s Refuge beyond 2009/10 ($7,650 a year).

Mr Hakkaart said this extra expenditure impacts the Uniform Annual General Charge which increases $8.90 on the draft plan to $422.60.

With much better tenders for the new Waipahi Scheme being received since the draft plan was developed the cost of the scheme was reduced in the plan by $1.2 million.

This meant the overall rates rise for 2009/10 would be 6.94%, slightly less than the 7.05% in the draft plan. However, individual rates changes would vary depending on which of the 11 rating areas people live in.

“Council has been pragmatic in its approach by pushing ahead with some exciting new projects and essential upgrades to existing infrastructure, while making some savings where possible such as putting seal extensions on hold for two years,” Mr Hakkaart said. 

The other major variation to the overall rates in the final plan compared to the draft plan would be in the 2012/13 year where the kerbside recycling of green waste has been removed from the plan. The draft plan had projected an overall rates increase of 8.23% in 2012/13. However, this is now projected to be 4.06%.

Council has, however, added an extra $20,000 per year, for two years, towards working with the community to provide more information, education, and possibly assisting with community and home composting to cut down the amount of waste going to landfill.

Other recycling initiatives planned remain in the final plan. These include the introduction of a recycling drop-off centre at Mt Cooee and possibly other parts of the district, and the introduction of a second wheelie bin for recyclable materials from 2011/12.

Final LTCCP Rating Changes