Health rate proposal

Press, 27 March 1981, Page 4

Health rate proposal

The Christchurch City Council should have a hard look at all its departmental activities during the coming year said its health and general committee yesterday. A motion by Cr H. A. Clark came on the heels of a proposal that the public health vote should increase its rate requirement by 46.35 per cent this year.

The committee’s chairman Sir Robert Macfarlane said an attempt had been made to hold down costs, but wages and salaries had pushed up those costs: “I think we have

' done .the very best we can,” 1 he said . I Sir Robert said that ; wages and salaries were tak- . ing ,up so much of the rates increases that there . was flittie left over for other ; activities if the council held ; rates;-.at a reasonable level. Cr'.A. J. Graham said that salaries were “highly inflated in this industry compared; with .outside vocations.” In'the City Health Department’ receipts accounted for 46.4 per cent of the total spending this year. This year the department

was able to contribute $32,000 to the rates from dog-licensing income. But in the coming year, all dog fees will be used to help service a loan that is financing a city dbg shelter. Even if that money had been available, the proposed rate increase for the department would be 39 per cent

this year. Even with no. staff increase,. the department’s salary rate increase will be 27 per cent.