Waimairi rise about 15%

Press, 15 May 1985, Page 8

Waimairi rise about 15%

Waimairi ratepayers are unlikely to face rate increases of more than 15 per cent this year. The Waimairi District Council’s finance and policy; committee spent 4¥z hours last evening paring its proposed $4,948 million general account budget. It succeeded in reducing it $114,000 and cuttingg the proposed increase in the general account from more than 18 per cent to 15.7 per cent.

The final rate figures will not be available until the council has approved both the riding and the general account estimates at a special meeting next Wednesday. The District Clerk, Mr Peter Chapples, said that each riding had a very good development resources account, funds ranging from $14,000 in the Styx riding to $94,000 in Fendalton. In most cases the money had been put aside for future developments, the committee heard. The committee’s chairman, Cr Martin Hobby, said that councillors had spent many hours in sub-commit-tees paring the proposed budget. At the beginning of the meeting he said that he could not see where any further cuts could be made. Cr Arthur Adcock said that although he did not want the estimates to rise 15 to 20 per cent, they had not increased in the last two estimates. The proposed rise would average out to about 6 per cent increase in each of the last three years,, he

said. The increase was a result of the extra costs faced by the council, he said. “It would be easy to chop the estimates down,” but it would mean deferring the cessary work until next year, when it would probably cost more, Cr Adcock said.

Last year’s riding accounts were estimated at $3.25 million and increased the council’s total estimated net expenditure to $7.43 million. One of the biggest increases this year is in spending on roads, streets, and bridges, estimated at $2.2 million. A similar amount was budgeted last year, but with a higher proportion funded by loan money and National Roads Board subsidies. Of this year’s roads estimate, $1,136 million will come from the general account, compared with $BBB,OOO last year. Major reading costs include shape correction ($447,500), construction ($438,500), and street lighting ($382,000). Of that, $208,000 will be used to modify part of Gardiners Road, $122,000 for the Innes Road extension, and $161,000 for work on the eastern end of Styx Mill Road (subject to National Roads Board approval. A decrease in miscellaneous costs in the administration budget has offset increases in this year’s estimates.

The net total has remained about $1.5 million. Of this, the computer sys-

tem accounts for the greatest increase, nearly $140,000 being budgeted this year, compared with $94,000 last year (actually only seven months of the financial year). About $1.03 million has been allocated for parks and reserves in the district, 16 per cent more than last year. Spencer Park and the Groynes will receive an estimated $116,000 and $123,000 respectively. The rest will be spent on maintenance.

Ridings will provide an estimated $490,000 for the .Reserves Contribution Fund. This fund is usually used for reserve development and does not affect rates. The council maintains more than 100 parks and reserves, and several community halls. The estimated maintenance costs range from $5O for Carlsen Reserve to $54,000 for Burnside Park. Income is expected to total $71,000. aintenance and development of cemeteries has been reduced $24,000 to $45,000 this year. This year’s levy to the

Christchurch Town Hall has been increased $200,000 to $426,000. Most of the increase is expected to go towards the proposed carparking for users of the Town Hall.

That levy, together with increased levies required by the Canterbury Museum, the Canterbury United Council, Civil Defence, and grants to a range of community organisations has boosted this year’s budget for levies and grants to $1.06 million compared with $945,000 last year.

Included in that total is $139,000 for the Christchurch Metropolitan Refuse Dispoal Committee. Waimairi District councillors may face another hot summer in their council chambers without air-condi-tioning. As part of its trimming of the 1985-86 estimates, the council’s finance committee last evening recommended that provision for air-condi-tioning for the council chambers be removed from the budget. Estimates for the maintenance of council offices

this year have increased 200 per cent over last year.

For 1984-85, the estimate was $30,510; for 1985-86 it is $92,654.

New air-conditioning for council offices accounts for more than half the expected cost of maintenance.