Street lighting funding policy amended

Press, 21 April 1984, Page 9

Street lighting funding policy amended

Wellington reporter A new policy on paying for street lighting on State highways and local authority roads has been agreed to by the National Roads Board. It will have the effect of increasing the contribution from the board, and reducing that from local authorities, in most cases. Board members were deadlocked in their attitude to the method of funding to be adopted, but finally agreed to a compromise proposed by the Minister of Works and Development, Mr Friedlander. This was that, with effect on April 1, 1985, the board revert to subsidising all local authority street lighting at a rate of 43 per cent; subsidise all State highway lighting, and relative maintenance and running costs, at a rate of 43 per cent; and agree that special cases on State highways be dealt with on their merits. Board members agreed with the Road Carriers’ representative, Mr W. W. Knox, that any system would have an element of rough justice in it. The new policy effectively reverts to the policy the board had before Octo-

ber, 1982, which became effective on April 1, 1984. In 1982, the board changed so that the running costs of street lighting to be accepted within reading programmes were to • The full costs of all lighting on State highways to be a charge to the State highway sector allocations; and • The subsidy at the base rate to be provided on 60 per cent of the cost of lighting on local authority roads and streets. The chairman of the Municipal Association and Mayor of Takapuna, Mr F. R. Thomas, said 18 of the 23 District Roads Councils in New Zealand who had to run this new scheme were very unhappy with it. The 60 per cent ceiling was imposed because the board has a statutary responsibility limited to paying for the costs of “illuminated carriageways.” Street lighting for pedestrians is supposed to be paid for hy local authorities. In October, 1983, the Territorial Local Government Association asked for the 1982 policy change to be reviewed on the ground that it failed to meet the board’s statutory obligations.

This legal failure was confirmed in an opinion by a Ministry of Works and Development solicitor. At times a limit of 60 per cent would not meet the board’s legal obligations. The change to a rate of 43 per cent will increase the board’s share of street light-

ing $1.85 million this year for. State highways in urban areas, and by another $940,000 in subsidies. This money would have gone into new road works had the policy not reverted to a subsidy of 43 per cent, said the Director of Reading, Mr R. B. Fisher.