STDC approves Annual Plan for 2011/2012

After a month of public consultation, the South Taranaki District Council approved its 2011/2012 Annual Plan at a meeting today.

The plan includes a combined general/roading rate and uniform annual general charge (UAGC) increase of 4%. The targeted rates for water, waste water and kerbside rubbish/recycling collection will also increase by $25, $26 and $16 respectively.

This means, in the new financial year, total rates for all properties, whether urban or rural, will increase by about 4-5%, which for the average urban household is around an extra $1.95 a week.

South Taranaki District Mayor, Ross Dunlop, says he is pleased the council was able to keep the increase to a level around the rate of inflation and increase in GST.

“The general, roading and UAGC rate increase projected in our Ten Year Plan had been much higher (6.10%),” he says.

“Thanks mainly to internal cost savings and lower interest rates on our loans we have been able to reduce that figure considerably. At the same time we are continuing to upgrade our district’s water infrastructure and increase our debt repayments - which is a great result,” says Mr Dunlop.

In response to public submissions some changes were made to the final Plan from what was initially proposed.

“During consultation we received several submissions from bulk water users concerned about the increase in the urban metered water rate to $2.01 per cubic metre,” says Mr Dunlop. “The Council considered these submissions and decided to smooth the price increase for large water users over a number of years,” he says.

Urban metered water consumers who use more than 4 cubic metres (4000 litres) of water per day will now pay $1.79 per cubic metre as opposed to $2.01.

The Council also resolved to consult with the public over the issue of fluoridating the Patea and Waverley water supplies as part of next year’s Long Term Plan.

Key aspects in the Plan include;
• Total expenditure of $53.7 million
• An increase in loan repayments from $460,000 to $1.24 million a year
• Construction of a new water treatment plant and reservoir in Patea, water upgrades in Opunake, Waimate West, Eltham and new water bores for Waverley, Waverley Beach and Waiinu
• Development of a Trade Waste Bylaw in 2012
• Repeal of the Pan Tax
• Extra spending on; district halls ($220,000), pensioner housing maintenance ($337,000) and stormwater projects ($205,000)

- ENDS –

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