2.8 percent rates increase now proposed

A total rates revenue increase of 2.8 percent is now being proposed by Waipa District Council following deliberations on submissions to the 2013/14 Draft Annual Plan.

This is 0.2 percent less than when the plan was released for consultation in March and 1.9 percent less than originally forecast in the 10-Year Plan.

Mayor Alan Livingston said the reduced rating requirement was the result of more savings being identified, which had also allowed for some additional items to be included in next year's budget.

The largest of these was $100,000 to expedite some of the works recently identified to make the district's central business areas more accessible for those less mobile.

Mr Livingston said the council had received 87 submissions to the plan and over $1 million in additional funding had been requested.

While we considered every submission carefully we needed to strike a balance between what was requested and what was affordable for our ratepayers so being able to assist some groups and still reduce the rating requirement is a fantastic result, he said.

When you consider the key drivers for the increase were things we were required to do under legislation and they alone amounted to a 3.8 percent increase, it is an outstanding achievement by both staff and councillors to limit the rating impact to less than 3 percent, said Mr Livingston.

Other items added following the hearing of submissions included:

• An additional $5000 for the Cambridge and Te Awamutu Visitor Information Centres,
• An extra $1000 for the Pirongia Historical Society
• An increase of $1900 in grant funding to Sport Waikato, to allow for inflation adjustment
• An additional $6000 grant to the Kakepuku Mountain Conservation Society, and;
• A second portable toilet for Kihikihi Domain to cater for the demand during key events.

Councillors had also committed to a review of the district's walking and cycling strategy and had allocated $25,000 to the advancement of a cycle and walking track on the Cambridge town belt. An equal amount has also been earmarked for walkway/cycleway development on the Te Awamutu side of the district.

As a result of a clear signal from submitters, a proposal to introduce a commercial recycling collection in Cambridge and Te Awamutu will no longer be pursued.

Key projects identified in the plan such as $257,300 for the design of a new library, museum and staff offices; $50,000 a year for 2013/14 and 2014/15 to support the 150th commemoration of the district; $60,000 to develop a structure plan for Ngahinapouri and $66,000 as Waipa's contribution to the Mayoral Forum were approved.

Mr Livingston said people would be able to see the affect the proposed rates increase would have on their individual rates invoices through the rates calculator on the council's website once it was adopted at the end of June.

The Strategic Policy and Planning Committee will consider the draft plan for the final time on Tuesday, June 4 before recommending it to the council for adoption at its June 25 meeting.