Zero rates plan scrapped as Christchurch council struggles to contain coronavirus fallout
Residents in Christchurch face a rates increase of between 3.5 and 5.5 per cent next year to plug a $90 million hole in the city council’s purse left largely by the coronavirus pandemic.
Hopes for a much-vaunted lowering of the increase to zero have been dashed, with staff warning the policy would cause “unprecedented” redundancies, jeopardise projects and flout direct advice from the Government.
The authority also faces borrowing more than $100m over the next two years to pay for its coronavirus response and make up for an expected $61.8m in lost dividends from the trading companies it owns.
Read more here.
Today’s Mind-Bender is the Last of the Year! Can You Guess It Before Everyone Else? 🌟🎁🌲
I dance in the sky with green and gold, a spectacle few are lucky to behold; I’m best seen in the south, a celestial sight—what am I, lighting up the New Zealand night?
Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm on the day!
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Flowers for free ????
Very disappointed that our front garden had a 14 bud Christmas Regal Lilly cut and taken with several others last night, but what it lead others to do was worse damage. They ripped out other flowers and some may not recover. Do not come back tonight, as we are cutting all of them today.
Some Choice News!
Many New Zealand gardens aren’t seeing as many monarch butterflies fluttering around their swan plants and flower beds these days — the hungry Asian paper wasp has been taking its toll.
Thanks to people like Alan Baldick, who’s made it his mission to protect the monarch, his neighbours still get to enjoy these beautiful butterflies in their own backyards.
Thinking about planting something to invite more butterflies, bees, and birds into your garden?
Thanks for your mahi, Alan! We hope this brings a smile!
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