County rates may increase

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 34021, 9 December 1975, Page 22

County rates may increase

Rate increases of up to 11 per cent will be necessary in the W aimairi County if finance for the proposed extensions to the council offices is taken from the general account.

However, the chairman of the co-ordinating subcommittee (Mr D. B. Rich) said that the cost Ito the ratepayer would be considerably less if the extensions were paid for out of loan money. Last month the subcommittee received a plan of the proposed extensions from I the county architect which [ showed the development in I three stages and costing ] $220.000. This figure does not

include the cost of work for the reception area The architect has reported that if « contract was signed for the first two stages in April next year it would be completed bv January, 1977. 'At the meeting of the finance and by-laws committee yesterday Cr H. M. Tait said that she was appalled at the rising costs of the extensions and also at the prospect pf the rate increases to pay for them.

Mr Rich said that it w«,s lin the interests of the rate- ' payers for the extensions to ‘be’built out of loan money. “The cost over 35 years will ; be minimal compared with jtwo or three years if the | money is taken out of funds.” !he said. ■ The co-ordinating subcommittee recommended loan raising, said Mr Rich, and it was important not to delay a decision because "we are up against escalating costs.” Cr P. J. Fisher suggested that the council sell some of the county’s assets, such as land and houses, to pay for the extensions; but Mr Rich said that funds raised this way would not be sufficient.