Rates feedback to be sought

File photo: ODT
Central Otago District Council. PHOTO: ARCHIVE
Town hall meetings will be one way the Central Otago community can have their say on changes to how rates are collected and spent.

At last week’s Central Otago District Council meeting, councillors agreed to consult on whether more services should be rated for across the whole district.

Meetings would be held in Ranfurly, Roxburgh, Alexandra and Cromwell, as well as online.

At present, 82% of rates for water, roading and waste are collected at a district level, and 18% of rates for property, parks, cemeteries, pools and community grants, except museums, are collected at a ward level.

Teviot Valley Community Board chairman Norman Dalley, speaking in the public forum, said his board was concerned that as a "satellite ward" they would be struggling to keep up with the demands of ratepayer funding.

"We have no ability to influence or contribute to discussions as we are so small," he said.

The Cromwell Community Board has spoken out against the idea and chairwoman Anna Harrison spoke again to the council, saying the sale of endowment land had to be carefully managed to realise the maximum return.

Where the proceeds of the sale of that land could be spent also needed careful examination and legal opinion, she said.

Options presented to the council were to have all property, parks, cemeteries, pools and museums managed across the entire region, have an adjusted rating for Teviot Valley to offset pool charges as that pool was locally owned or make no changes.

As well as the meetings, there would be information at public libraries and community centres across the district and on the council’s Let’s Talk website.