Key decisions on Annual Plan 2014/15
Published on 18 June 2014
18 June 2014
Mayor Annette Main today said the Wanganui District Council has been able to respond positively to a number of issues of concern raised by the community through the Annual Plan process.
“Our community has shown a huge interest in the future of Wanganui East Pool, the Wakefield Street Bridge and the Virginia Lake Aviary, and made a large number of submissions through the Annual Plan process to retain them,” Mayor Main said.
“Last week the Council considered the submissions to the Draft Annual Plan 2014/15 and we have made some changes to the budgets outlined in the draft plan.
“Due to ensuring we decide on the right solution for the wastewater treatment plant, our original estimate of when it would be built has been delayed. This has enabled us to save some running costs and interest costs so we have been able to put other items back into the 2014/15 budget, while retaining the average rates increase of 4.9% outlined in the Draft Annual Plan.
“The majority (4.1%) of that average rate increase is due to the wastewater treatment plant and debt reduction costs.”
The average rates increases are:
Residential 4.5%
Farming 6.5%
Commercial 6.1%
Services only 2.7%
Actual rates will vary for individual properties.
Changes to the plan include the Wanganui East Pool opening for the 2014/15 summer, with a budget of $63,500 for operating costs, and the reinstatement of the $24,000 budget for the Virginia Lake Aviary.
The long-term future of the Wakefield Street Bridge will be considered next year when the Council decides on the 10-Year Plan 2015-2025. In the meantime, a number of measures are being put in place to help extend the life of the bridge.
Although the Wanganui East Pool funding has been reinstated for next year, Mayor Main said that the community groups will be asked to work alongside Council to find a long-term answer to the future of an outdoor pool as a key community facility.
The Council removed $70,000 from the 2014/15 budget for air conditioning for the Council Chamber.
“The Annual Plan process is an example of how the community and the Council can work together to decide what is important to our community,” Mayor Main said.
“We need to think creatively and co-operatively about ways to affordably retain the services and facilities we believe are necessary to maintain our quality of life.
“As a Council we need to balance our debt and the level of rates our community can afford with providing both the core services those who live here need and what we need to do to grow our community and our economy.”
The Council meets on June 30 to adopt the Annual Plan 2014/15.