Parking fines increase?

Press, 25 February 1981, Page 6

Parking fines increase?

People who do not pay their parking fines within 14 idays may soon be paving an I extra $3. A meeting of the Christchurch City Council’s public utilities committee has recommended that the council write to the Minister of Transport (Mr McLachlan) asking him to consider higher I charges for fines not paid within 14 days, It proposed that an administration charge of $3 be added to fines that are riot paid within 14 days. If that is not acceptable to the Ministry, it is proposed that fines be increased by $3, Fines paid within 14 days would be reduced by- that amourtt. • 7 . The meeting was told that councillors had been concerned about the time taken to recover fines which ranged from $4 to $l7. ' The Ministry of Transport

'reported that it cost about I $3 to recover unpaid fines. It ; favoured higher charges with la reduction for early payIment, rather than the addijtion of an administration (Charge. Fluoridation Fluoridation of Christchurch City’s water supply |would cost a total of almost 151.25 million, and would rejsut in a 9.15 per cent increase in the water rate, the! was told. I A report said the prelimin-1 ary estimate of the capital' cost of fluoridation amounted! to §943,000. To avoid, the; possibility of contamination; the water would also need to! be chlorinated, which would; cost §275,000. The ' combined, I cost of fluoridation and; chlorination would be almost $1.25 million. The Government had offered a sbfor $1 subsidy for

jthe capital cost of fluorida- • tion. That meant the council ; would have to pay §778,500 ■for capital.- costs, and the 'Government would provide 1§471,500 through the subsidy. The annual running costs of having a fluoridated water supply, including the costs of chlorination, were estimated at §228,500. The operating costs would result in an increase of 7.4 per cent on the current gross waterworks expenditure. That would mean an increase of 9.15 per cent on the water rate charged to householders. The committee received the information. The chairman, Cr R. Lester, said the committee was not the place for a discussion on the merits of fluoridation.

Waterworks The committee adopted a resolution that charges for

(waterworks should be ini creased by 40 to 50 per cent. I Commenting that the inI creases were "dramatic,” 'the Mayor of Christchurch | (Mr Hamish Hay) was told (that some charges had not (been increased for several i years. In the last year material costs had increased by 40 per cent-and labour costs by 18.3 per cent. Plant costs had i increased by 66 per cent since March last year. The new charges, which would include turning-on fees, meter test fees, and charges on water for extinguishing fifes and for stopcock keys, would take effect on April 1. The meeting was told that charges for water were being reviewed and would have to be increased. / ; . It referred ' the recommendations to the policy and finance committee. ......