Water, arts, rec bear brunt of council cuts

Tasman councillors will this Thursday contemplate shelving millions of dollars in spending to control rates rises over the next 10 years.

Among the cost-cutting proposals included in the agenda, and already examined in closed workshops over recent months, was a proposal to defer the start of Motueka's planned $12 million water supply project to 2020/21, postponing design work on the $26 million coastal pipeline until 2017/18 and rescheduling the upgrades of three major rural water supplies to 2027/28.

The reduced spending would see the council's budgets for the Boredom Busters Holiday programme, the Community Arts partnership and the Community Development Fund each cut by $10,000.

Spending would also be cut to the Gateways Project, the Treasured Pathways project, the Opera in the Park allocation and the council's Mudcake and Roses publication.

Council staff have already made $440,000 in spending cuts to the parks and reserves budgets.

In order to keep the Tasman's regional shared facilities rate down council staff, in discussion with their Nelson City peers, have recommended Tasman reduce its planned spend on the development of Saxton Field by $870,000 over the next four years but increase spending by $340,000 per annum in years five and six.

The move could also see Tasman's planned $600,000 budget for developing a cycle/football pavilion at Saxton Field spread over two years, instead of the planned one year, and the proposed rowing and aquatic centre pushed out beyond 2022.

Upgrading the 88 Valley, Redwood Valley and Dovedale rural water supplies was likely to be pushed out to 2027/28 if affordable methods of water treatment could be found.

It was likely money earmarked for Motueka's proposed swimming pool and the district's motorsport facility would remain unspent if councillors approved removing both projects from the district's draft 10-year plan in order to keep the district facilities rate down.

Councillors would also consider saving $85,000 a year by reducing the length of its fortnightly Newsline publication and email rather than posting edition to non-resident ratepayers.

In order to curtail debtors, council staff have recommended interest be charged on late Development Contribution payments for projects which were not subject to council review.

Proposals which have remained untouched by the cost-cutting include budgeting $400,000 to maintain the interim erosion protection works for Jackett Island and a further $2.6 million over two years for a long-term solution.

The $11.6 million in funding for the refurbishment of the lower Motueka River stopbanks which would take place over 13 years from 2017/18.

Budget decisions stemming from Thursday's meeting would come back to the council for adoption in its February meeting before being included in the Draft Long Term Plan which would go out to public submission in late April.

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Phil   #7   09:37 am Jan 28 2012

Michael - really, do you only have one drum to bang. The great hope of 'Amalgamation' seems to be your life's focus, you're able to link it to almost every comment you ever make. Shame the odds for it don't stack up in the slightest (if you looked at it objectively) - you want to see wasted resources, years of underachievement and demotivated staff, rates rises, and a lack of local representation then vote for amalgamation - if you want local government that effectively represents ratepayers then vote 'no' to this flawed proposal once and for all - lets not be blind, it was an election issue for Aldo pure and simple, and look how he turned out!!

michael   #6   03:57 pm Jan 27 2012

Will finaly now most tdc rate payers can see there council is broke heavy in debt and not delivering service they should be. Amalgamation is there only answer to what will continue to be a massive problem which will ultimately leave them with third world service levels.

Global Conscience   #5   01:35 pm Jan 27 2012

I would suggest Misty and AW actually go down to the TDC and get some facts about the Council extension before they spread what is total bovine excrement. They will see cramped working conditions and Departments remote from the main building in leased premises. Ignorance is a great storey before the truth gets out. deferring work to keep Nick Smith's mouth shut is counter productive. All ratepayers will be saddled with an even greater demand when these projects cannot be delayed any further. But facts do not make a great read do they/

Misty   #4   04:51 pm Jan 26 2012

I don't see not building fancy new offices in Richmond at a cost of 4 million or so on that list...

Billy the Kid   #3   03:39 pm Jan 26 2012

These are stupid " decisions'. Nothing gets cheaper over time--and, in my experience, as the costs go up, they get deffered further. The simple answer is do what homeowners do--raise money now to buy a house, and pay it off over time. Use the KISS prinicple!!

aw   #2   02:26 pm Jan 26 2012

How about selling off the land they bought next door and making do with the council facilities they have - but they won't do anything that impacts them, just the community and the people that voted them in. They could have saved thousands by not painting white parking lines in Motueka as well - what a waste of money that was.

arnie   #1   01:24 pm Jan 26 2012

What is wrong with the 88 Valley water scheme? It works very well is cheap to run & more rural communities should be on the trickle system, even if the water is from wells. One learns how to control their water usage very quickly, at the same time getting an adequate supply for stock and the vege garden etc. I think that because the system is cheap and easy to run the bureaucrats think the must be a problem and want to spend more.

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