Kaiapoi rates up 11 p.c.

Press, 1 June 1982, Page 6

Kaiapoi rates up 11 p.c.

Kaiapoi residents will have to pay an extra 11 per cent in rates this year. A special meeting of the Kaiapoi Borough Council last evening decided to increase rates on residential properties 10.69 per cent and rates on commercial properties 22.27 per cent. Estimated spending for the 1982-83 year amounts to $l.B million. Administration and central services ($455,732), roading ($261,200). water supply upkeep and loan repayments ($226,050), and temporary employment scheme ($250,000) account for most of the payments. Government subsidies ($374,040) will help offset this spending. Cr C. W. D. Hogdson criticised what he said was the lack gof information supplied in this year’s estimates. Whereas in other years the estimates and actual payments for the previous 12 months had been displayed as well, this year there was only one figure, the estimated spending for each item for the coming year, he said. Cr H. G. McAllister said

that some of the new councillors would "be up in the air" with the new lay out. Cr Hodgson said that such a layout did not comply with section 121' of the Local Government Amendment Act. 1977. "We are required to comply with the statutory requirements and this paper does not do that, in my opinion." he said. The Town Clerk. Mr R. N. McCabe, said there was no statutory requirement to state last year's actual and estimated costs in this year’s estimates. Cr Hodgson voted against the acceptance of the estimates. "because there was not enough information supplied to cross-check the figures." Residents will be able to pay their rates in two instalments. on July 1, and January 1, 1983. There will be a 5 per cent discount on all rates paid early, except those levied by the North Canterbury Catchment Board. An extra 15 per cent will be added to rates if they are not paid by February 15, 1983