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The stadium: Should Christchurch put a lid on it?
A roof on Christchurch’s planned stadium is being described as key to making the venue competitive, despite its cost.
Following recently revealed cost blowouts, public feedback has been pouring in on whether Te Kaha stadium should be built as planned.
Rising construction costs have hiked the … View moreA roof on Christchurch’s planned stadium is being described as key to making the venue competitive, despite its cost.
Following recently revealed cost blowouts, public feedback has been pouring in on whether Te Kaha stadium should be built as planned.
Rising construction costs have hiked the forecast cost to build the 30,000-seat venue, described as a multi-use arena, from $533 million to $673m. Further escalations are possible.
City councillors will decide on July 14 whether to top up the budget, pause and redesign the project, or scrap it all together. Paying the extra would boost the average rates bill by $144 a year, or about $2.75 a week.
Read more here and tell us what you think of the stadium plan - and whether it should have a roof, or whether it should go ahead at all - in the comments below.
Coast regional council bumps up rates 10%
From local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
The West Coast Regional Council has increased rates by 10%.
But it has excluded a planned inflation adjustment of 2.3% as signalled in the long-term plan.
Last year rates went up 30%.
Faced with an overall 12.3% increase this year, chief executive… View moreFrom local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
The West Coast Regional Council has increased rates by 10%.
But it has excluded a planned inflation adjustment of 2.3% as signalled in the long-term plan.
Last year rates went up 30%.
Faced with an overall 12.3% increase this year, chief executive Heather Mabin told councillors it was not too late to amend the budget and revert "to a true 10%".
Cr Peter Ewen said the council needed to keep faith with the ratepayers.
"That to me is a public contract."
The council needed to address rising costs, which included compliance costs that were "a Government imposition" and directly affected ratepayers.
"There are some other things there we have got to address. It's never easy to cut costs but it's something we've got to get used to," Ewen said.
As an example, the council should be claiming back from the Government the full costs of formulating the combined district plan for the region, as it was now a national pilot.
"If we roll over and take it, why are we here? I don't mind being the guinea pig [but] it's another version of being set up to fail because the rates are going to be so high."
Cr Debra Magner said the council had to consider the risks in not cost adjusting, with projects and statutory obligations looming.
"It isn't just a matter of saying we can cut [2.3%] out without consequences."
Cr Stuart Challenger said he was mindful of the impact on ratepayers but the council had to meet its obligations.
"My concern is if we didn't have rate rises, and all of a sudden we have to make up for it. We need to cut our costs but we need to make sure we are doing what we're supposed to do."
Ewen asked what the 2.3% would represent in a budget adjustment.
Mabin said it was close to $95,000.
Ewen said that coincidentally represented the lease revenue for the council's Rolleston property (a 1080 factory), which might be reviewed to help the budget.
Cr Laura Coll-McLaughlin said the council, like everyone else, was at the "sharp end" with inflation.
It needed to budget for the unexpected while weighing the impact on ratepayers but without leaving the council financially vulnerable.
Remuneration Authority confirms councillor salary increases in Ashburton
From local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Nominations for the local government elections open soon and a salary increase may get new faces putting their hands up in the Ashburton District.
The Remuneration Authority has confirmed the increased pool for councillor salaries which will see a … View moreFrom local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Nominations for the local government elections open soon and a salary increase may get new faces putting their hands up in the Ashburton District.
The Remuneration Authority has confirmed the increased pool for councillor salaries which will see a jump from $41,214 closer to $50,000 for the next term.
The authority is the independent body that dictates the elected councillor’s salaries.
The council only has a say in how it is distributed.
The current Ashburton District Council opted to have the eight councillors on the same salary, which as of July 1 rose slightly to $41,214, and the deputy mayor on a higher salary, $59,182, due to the extra responsibilities.
The remuneration pool doesn’t apply to the mayor.
Councillor Angus McKay, who is yet to confirm his intentions for the upcoming election, said he hoped the next council would take a similar approach to allocating the pool.
“In my opinion this council has worked very well and one of the reasons I put that down to is the people sitting around the room and the other is that this council did away with the hierarchy of committees.
“I’m hopeful the new council will do the same.
“We have all been on equal pay, equal footing, and I think that’s what made this council work very, very well.”
Following the elections in October, the remuneration pool will increase $61,302 from $388,893 to $450,195.
The newly elected council decide what structure the division of the pool takes, with options to pay positions of extra responsibility more, such as the deputy mayor.
The Remuneration Authority has also confirmed the mayor’s salary of $123,201 will increase to $132,690 after the election.
There is no change to the Methven Community Board remuneration, with the chair still set to receive $5,544 and $2,777 to each of the other four members.
Kaikōura adopts annual plan
From local democracy reporter David Hill:
The Kaikōura District Council has adopted its annual plan with ‘‘one of the lowest rates rise in the country’’.
Councillors adopted the 2022-23 annual plan on Wednesday, June 29, with an average rates rise of 4.63%.
Mayor Craig Mackle said the … View moreFrom local democracy reporter David Hill:
The Kaikōura District Council has adopted its annual plan with ‘‘one of the lowest rates rise in the country’’.
Councillors adopted the 2022-23 annual plan on Wednesday, June 29, with an average rates rise of 4.63%.
Mayor Craig Mackle said the comparatively low rates rise was a credit to the hard working council staff.
‘‘Considering we are not cutting back on anything from what we proposed in the long-term plan (LTP) and the times we are in, the guys are doing a fantastic job.
‘‘The biggest highlight for me is definitely being so close to what we predicted and still being able to do what we said we were going to do.’’
The average rates rise of 4.63% is higher than the 4.04% signalled in the LTP, due to inflation and global supply shortages.
Chief executive Will Doughty said it was the first time the council had produced an annual plan without consulting with the community.
‘‘This is because we are simply delivering on year two of our 2021-31 LTP.
‘‘We consulted extensively with our communities to develop the LTP, and there are no major differences between this annual plan and
the forecasts for year two of the LTP, other than the timing of some capital projects.
‘‘We do have one of the lowest rates rises in the country and hopefully that will be well received.’’
Doughty said the council did complete a residents survey earlier this year, which helped ‘‘inform our decisions around the annual plan’’.
‘‘The survey confirmed we are spending in those areas where our community has identified as needing improvement, most notably roads and footpaths.
‘‘The survey didn’t raise any unforeseen issues.’’
Doughty said the rebuild from the 2016 earthquake had left the council in a strong position.
The Government’s Three Waters stimulus funding had reduced the burden on ratepayers in improving drinking water supplies and wastewater treatment systems.
Other capital projects in roading and three-waters were being funded by loans and reserves to reduce the impact on rates, Doughty said.
Three major projects, the replacement of the Glen Alton bridge over the Waiau-Toa Clarence River, the Wakatu Quay development and the
Link Pathway, between the town centre and Kaikōura Peninsula, had also been delayed due to Covid-19.
The Wakatu Quay development and the Link Pathway were expected to be completed next year, while the Glen Alton bridge was now due to be completed in 2025.
Southbridge bus trial extended but more passengers needed
A trial bus service between Lincoln, Leeston and Southbridge will be extended another year - but if residents want to keep Route 87 beyond that, they will need to make more use of it, Environment Canterbury says.
The trial will now continue through to July 2023. The extension will help determine … View moreA trial bus service between Lincoln, Leeston and Southbridge will be extended another year - but if residents want to keep Route 87 beyond that, they will need to make more use of it, Environment Canterbury says.
The trial will now continue through to July 2023. The extension will help determine whether Covid-19 has affected passenger numbers over the past year, the regional council says.
First launched in 2019, the trial has already been altered and extended several times in an effort to provide the community with a service that will attract enough patronage to make it permanent, Metro spokesperson Thomas McNaughton says.
"This 12-month extension is a great opportunity for the community to give this fantastic service a go and ensure we can continue to provide a sustainable connection to the city."
The trial service is comprised of three trips a day aimed at commuters and students starting at 6.43am from Southbridge to Lincoln, with return services at 4.11pm and 6.08pm from Lincoln to Southbridge.
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