Big rate rise possible

Press, 12 October 1988, Page 4

Big rate rise possible

By

PAT TAYLOR

in Greymouth

Greymouth would have to look at raising a loan and imposing a “hefty” rate rise on the borough to meet its share of the flood protection wall, the Mayor of Greymouth, Dr Barry Dallas, told “The Press” yesterday. He was commenting on the announcement by the Prime Minister, Mr Lange, yesterday of an accelerated flood protection programme for the town in the wake of the flooding in May and September. The extent of the council’s contribution to the scheme was, however, "unexpected,” Dr Dallas said. “We had been told last year that our contribution would be about $200,000 or less, which we could meet out of funded money, but it now seems

likely that the borough’s share will be $400,000 or $500,000. That’ll mean a fairly hefty rate rise, because we are in a timebind also. “The council has already looked at a special rating area, but that would only hit those who have already been hit enough by the flooding.” The Greymouth Borough Council should now be seen to be the prime mover in the stopbank operations as the Westland Catchment Board would cease to exist part-way through the programme, Dr Dallas said. “The works will be well under way before the borough merges into the Grey district council,” he said. The present borough could be a special rating area to meet its contriubtion, and other people in

the Grey district council region should be assured that for the five years of the loan there would be no extra demand on them.

The protective wall along the wharf, scheduled to be completed by the end of March, would prevent spill-over from the flooded river, the main cause of damage in the past.

Once that was completed the work would continue to erect flood protection works around the lagoon areas, covering Blaketown and Preston Road. The flood wall on the northern side of the Grey River protected previously flooded properties in Cobden, during the May and September deluges. That wall cost about $200,000 and is estimated to have saved about $7 million in claims.