The Waitaki District Council now has a range of options for councillors to consider next week as they try to reduce a projected 7.4% rates rise for the next financial year.
Councillors set a target of an average rates increase of between 4.5% to 5.5% across the whole district, and staff have now prepared several scenarios on what can be cut, what may be added, and the effect on rates.
Those reports for the two-day meeting next week include comments on requests made by some of the 500 submitters on the council's draft 2012-22 long-term plan, along with opposition to some cuts being proposed.
Options and recommendations have been put forward in three scenarios: reducing the rates increase to 6.31%, 4.74%, or 4.21%.
There is then a further table which has items requested by submitters, which would increase the rates.
Councillors have been helped by savings made in the roading maintenance contract over the next three years, the $250,000 next financial year being almost equivalent to reducing rates by 1%. Councillors have to decide whether to use that to reduce a rates increase, or use all of part of it for targeted roading improvements.
The one issue which attracted the most support from ratepayers was council continuing to make a $73,000 a year grant to the Waitaki Community Recreation Centre, which the draft plan was going to cut after next financial year.
Continuing to fund the Oamaru Victorian Heritage Celebrations - $15,000 next year then $10,000 a year over the next two years - is another issue.
Loss of a Government subsidy to partly fund the Waitaki Guardians, which patrols central Oamaru at night and has proved a deterrent to crime, threatened the project's future, but one recommendation is for the council to make up the difference which would mean total funding of $60,000 a year.
Another issue which attracted strong comment was the proposal to cut the events development facilitation contract for an events development officer at $65,000 a year. That was opposed by several submitters.
One area of savings being recommended is insurance of assets under $1 million in value, where $70,000 could be cut from rates by self-insuring those through its disaster relief fund.
Other issues councillors will tackle include. -
• Closing the Severn and lower Thames St toilets, saving $30,000 a year.
• Continuing the $30,000 a year community grants contestable fund.
• Spending $40,000 to reinstate higher standards of mowing for reserves.
• Saving $10,000 a year by discontinuing the council's three-weekly Link publication.
• Transferring 10% of the cost of tourism funding to the Oamaru business rate.
• Whether to delete $25,000 funding for a North Otago Search and Rescue command unit.
The meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday will be the final chance councillors have to make major changes to the long-term plan, including next year's budget and rates.
What they decide will then go for reviewed by Audit New Zealand and final approval by the council on June 26.
