A 3.2% rates rise for 2014-15 is a starting point for the Waitaki District Council tomorrow when it considers its new budget for the first time in public.
This is less than the 5.3% increase it signalled for next financial year when it approved its long-term 10-year plan last year.
The reduction has been achieved by efficiencies and savings within the council operation, which reduced the increase to 1.1%. However, the addition of a number of projects into the proposed 2014-15 pre-draft plan lifted that back to 3.2%.
The council had two workshops last month to review proposed operating budgets as part of preparing the draft plan.
Tomorrow, councillors will consider additional information on the operating budgets as well as new proposals put forward by staff, councillors and members of the community for inclusion for next financial year.
Councillors are being asked to indicate what projects they favour so a further pre-draft can be prepared and reviewed over the next three months, before the final draft is adopted in March for public consultation.
This financial year, the council is collecting about $28 million in rates, a 3.9% increase over the 2011-12 year. Next financial year, it is proposing to collect $29.181 million, a 3.2% increase.
Included in that are 26 additional projects, of which 18 have been listed as having an impact totalling $601,127 on rates and the rest being done from other sources or still having to have a funding source confirmed.
Some of the major projects include spending $300,000 on road seal widening, $285,000 to improve roading in the harbourside area of Oamaru, $180,000 to provide services to the retirement village on Hospital Hill, $75,000 to seal and maintain a car park on the former railway land on the corner of Wansbeck and Tyne Sts and $60,000 on economic development.
After tomorrow's meeting, the next time the budget will be considered in open council is on March 11, when the council has to confirm a draft plan and advertise it for public consultation.
That will close on April 17, with hearing of submissions in May and final decisions being made in June.
