The Clutha District Council's 2012-22 long-term plan is to be adopted at a special meeting today.
After consultation, changes to the draft long-term plan include about $24,000 for improvements to the car park and associated areas at the Cross Recreation Centre in Balclutha, and increasing funding for the district's museums by $10,000 per year to help offset rising insurance and power costs.
The council also agreed to provide a short-term interest-free loan of up to $150,000 to the planned Tuapeka Aquatic Centre to help with bridging finance to cover pledged funds, and provide $30,000 towards the cost of a public toilet at Moore Park in Milton if the community can raise the remainder of the cost.
Clutha Mayor Bryan Cadogan said that despite the additional expenditure, he was pleased the overall rates rise for the 2012-13 year was reduced to 3.4%, down from the 4.2% initially proposed in the draft plan.
The new water services operations and maintenance contract awarded to Fulton Hogan Ltd came in about $300,000 less per year than budgeted.
Although the overall rates increase is 3.4%, some urban areas face higher rates increases because of recently completed projects.
