Whangarei District Council’s draft annual plan setting out how council will finance its various activities and services over the coming year is now open for public comment.
There aren’t too many surprises though a planned sell off of properties, some $29m worth, is likely to raise some eyebrows.
Selling properties in Fraser St, Hewlett St, Kioreroa Rd and Lower Port Rd are unlikely to be as contentious as the sale of the Old Boys Rugby ground.
That sale has stalled at the moment which is part of the reason council wants to sell the new properties, which were inherited mainly from the old Harbour Board and have largely been leased for industrial or storage use, so aren’t widely used by the general public.
One of the biggest jumps in expenditure is on alleviating traffic congestion, largely by building the second harbour crossing. In the Long Term Council Community Plan (LTCCP) some $10,599,000 was budgeted to be spent in that area, but that now is up to $30,000,000. The bridge is expected to be complete by the end of next year.
Other new or brought-forward projects include $828,000 on pump replacement in the Hikurangi Swamp Scheme, and pleasingly $80,000 on stage two of the animal pound upgrade. Office facilities at the centre were upgraded last year, but the animal holding pens and other facilities have long been in need of further work.
Overall general rate rises are being kept at two percent, in line with the rise inflation.
The economic downturn hasn’t helped planning with budgeted income from development levies down from an expected $5m to just $1m.
Interest on debt will rise some from $7.1m (in the LTCCP) to $8.7m due to the increase in interest rates.
One disappointment is the deferral of major upgrade of pensioner housing due to the withdrawal of government funding.
The whole draft annual plan is a lengthy document of some 150 pages, but it should be available online (http://www.wdc.govt.nz) or through the council at Forum North.
Submissions close on April 26 and there’s plenty in there you should be having a say on.