Rolleston questions transport levy

Press, 23 November 1988, Page 30

Rolleston questions transport levy

By

ANABRIGHT HAY

The Rolleston Residents’ Association has asked the Ellesmere County Council to reassess the urban transport levy charged against properties in the Lincoln-Rolles-ton area. In a letter to the council, the association secretary, Mrs Jackie Stephens, l asked for county residents to be levied in a fairer way, reflecting the level of service they got.

Councillors were concerned that in spite of efforts to keep residents informed, many did not understand that the levy was not used to subsidise Christchurch Transport Board buses. The levy goes mainly towards the cost of planning and administration by the Canterbury United Council.

The councillor for the Springston riding, Cr Annette Foster, said that while the council collected the levy on behalf of the Canterbury United Council, it was up to the Ellesmere County Council to decide the size of residents’ share within the urban transport district.

The levy had been designed under the assumption that Rolleston would expand rapidly and require more buses. This had not eventuated and there did not appear to be any extra bus service

planned, she said. The Ellesmere County Council plans to ask the Canterbury United Council to provide a Christchurch Transport Board bus service to Rolleston. The council also wants Rolleston removed from the levy area or deferred from paying the levy.

Concern will be expressed by the council over the withdrawal of the New Zealand Railways bus service. Litter complaint The litter problem at Weedons Ross Road rubbish dump at Lincoln was described by the registrar of Lincoln College, Mr Gilbert Hay, as an intolerable example of pollution. In a letter, Mr Hay said the college did not feel prepared to exist alongside pollution which would be greatly reduced with some strong commitment and a concerted effort.

The council and the college have corresponded over several years about litter at the dump.

Mr Hay said strong winds blew paper and plastic hundreds of metres, littering large areas.

There had been some improvement since a high fence was built, but Mr

Hay said farm staff believed the only satisfactory way to control the litter was to restrict dumping to a narrow face and fill or cover the face each day.

The council will meet the college to discuss the problem. Deer slaughterhouse A planning application for the establishment of a deer slaughterhouse in Knyvetts Road, Rakaia, was approved.

The site is a 20ha area on the north-west side of the road about I.skm east of the Main Rakaia Road.

The County Planner, Mr lan Dalton, said the site was part of Northbank station, the largest flat land farm in New Zealand.

The applicants, Sholto Holdings, Ltd, propose to construct a 108 sq m building to slaughter and process deer.

A 300-ha deer farm would be part of the overall complex controlled by the Northbank Farming Group.

The plant will initially process 35 animals a day on two days a week, but at full capacity the plant will process 50 head a day for five days a week. The plant will employ five people.