CITY COUNCIL RATE UNCHANGED

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29854, 21 June 1962, Page 10

CITY COUNCIL RATE UNCHANGED

General Benefit In Over-all Demand

The general rate of 31d in the £ of unimproved value, fixed by the City Council last evening, is unchanged from last year.

When city ratepayers receive their demands in August they will find that all have a saving of a few shillings on last year. The stabilisation of the general City Council rate will help this, but the major contribution will be the lower rate of the Christchurch Transport Board, for which the council acts as collecting agent.

The general rate, estimated to produce £779.511, compared with £757,403 last year, is required to meet an estimated expenditure of £1,032,798. Last year, when the council estimated an expenditure of £1,018,018, it actually spent £999,062 from the general rate.

Stabilisation of the rate has been helped by four committees estimating to spend less this year and by a transfer of £40,000 from the electrical general account an amount which equals the estimated extra cost of wages and salaries this year.

Rates levied for special purposes also show little variation. I Only one of the nine deIpartmental committees overspent its vote last year—the 'works department, whose reIquirements accounted for more than half the general rate.

The council began its financial year with a credit balance of £8773 in the general account, compared with a debit balance of £9934 last year.

The unimproved value of the city on which the general rate and some of the special rates are levied now stands £49.888.720, compared with £44.444.145 a year ago Four departments have cut their estimated expenditure this year—the baths and entertainments committee (about half), the housing committee (more than half), the art gallery committee, and the town planning committee. These savings have been offset by increases in the re-

quirements of the by-laws, finance and departmental committee, the reserves committee’s two accounts, the traffic committee and the works committee, which has estimated to spend less than its last year expenditure but more than its vote of last year.

For the second year, the airport has made no call on the general rate. Parking meters have had another good financial year, but their profits are not available to assist the general ratepayer. The money is kept in a separate account and used for the betterment of traffic conditions, including the provision of new traffic control lights.

In addition to its own rates, the council imposes levies for several local bodies and, as an agent, collects rates for the Christchurch Drainage and Transport Boards. The Transport Board has reduced its rates, the Fire Board's levy is down, but the Drainage Board’s rates are generally up a little. Details of the council’s estimated expenditure are: —

Rates in addition to the general rate, with last year’s figures in parenthesis, are:— Libraries. — 789/2500d in the £ (777/2500d) to produce £65,604 (£64,030). Special to meet interest, sinking fund and loan repayments. —66/125d in the £ (1293/2500d) to raise £109,755 (£106,553). Waterworks. Connected dwellings, 186/625d in the £ of capital value (same) to produce £145,523 (£140.731); unconnected dwellings, 93/625d in the £ (same) to produce £2941 (£3164); other buildings, 93/625d in the £ (same) to produce £22,880 (£21,886). Uniform Sanitation Fee.— £4 10s (£4 3s). Riccarton Bush Trustees.— 39 z soood in the £ (same) to produce £1621 (£1606).

Museum Trust Board.— 201/2500d in the £ (39/500d) to produce £16,713 (£16.069)

Fire Board.— 2o7/2500d in the £ on the value of improvements (219/2500d) to produce £37,775 (£38,238).

Catchment Board. Administrative, 273/2500d in the £ (231/2500d) to produce £22.681 (£19,306); class D, 327/2500d in the £ (339/2500d) to produce £26.057 (£26.798); class F, 129/2500d in the £ (27/500d) to produce £438 (£451).

The rates will become due for payment on August 13, and can be sued for 14 days after the due date; but the last date for payment without a 10 per cent, penalty will be February 27. 1963.

EstiSpent mate last this Year. Year. Baths and enter- £ £ ments .. 10,735 5,355 By-laws, finance, deptl. .. 182,115 201,469 Housing .. 15.566 7,975 Reserves—

General 104,664 117,745 Domains 39,403 41,750 Robt. McDougall Art Gallery .. 10,327 8.741 Town planning 28.451 26,684 Traffic 96.433 115.029 Works ,. 511.368 508.050 Special Rates Vote Vote last this Year Year Interest, etc., on £ £ loans 219.393 247,212 Libraries 65,795 70,952 Waterworks 233.231 266,782