Trade-off seen by council

Press, 2 December 1981, Page 6

Trade-off seen by council

Christchurch city councillors are willing to talk to the Waimairi County Council about its proposal for a county representative on the public utilities committee to discuss Municipal Electricity Department matters. But they said yesterday that a receptive attitude might require the county to give something in return. Cr Vicki Buck said that such a trade-off might be a willingness on the county’s part to acknowledge responsibility for a percentage of the costs of regional facilities financed mainly by the City Council. “It is all very well us always being the nice guys in the piece, but what do we get in return?” she said; Waimairi County' is serviced by the ME.D.' but has no say in how its money is

used. There has been repeated criticism of the use of some M.E.D. profits for off setting costs of running Queen Elizabeth II Park. “We should agree to meet them, to hear their point of view,” said the Mayor, Mr Hamish Hay. “They should know that if they want representation it’s not free,” said Cr Buck. “It comes with a price tag.” Loop house A $24,822 tender for renovation of an Avon Loop house for use by a disabled resident has been accepted ; by the City Council bringing the total project cost to $42,722. That includes the property purchase price. The project at 61 Bangor Street is part of the council’s contribution to - the Inter-

national Year of the Disabled. The successful tenderer was J. J. Construction Company Ltd, the lowest of four tenders ranging to $28,602. The original estimate for the total project was $36,000 for purchase and renovation. Increased costs have made the project marginal in terms of money that might be recovered if the house were eventually sold, but the house could be retained by the council for renting. Bird strikes Insecticides sprayed in the Christchurch Airport area to " reduce the food supply for birds and reduce incidents of ■bird collisions with... aircraftseem to be working. Councillors were told that a quarterly summary of bird

incidents compiled by the Wildlife Service, showed that a 50 per cent reduction in bird strikes or near misses had been recorded at the airport from April to June. Over-all incident. rates in the country were down 25 per cent from 1980 during the quarter. Land disposal The council may sell 3.5 ha of land in Awatea Place, next to the Wigram Aerodrome. ' ;■; ? The land valued at about $12,000 is vested in the council for abattoir purposes:but the council has disposed of its entire abattoir workings. ' Councillors said the. director of housing and property. '/ Mr K. kR; McNeil, , should .be authorised to-negotiate with the Ministry of Defence over the land sale.