Funding concerns expressed by Waiouru Community Board

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 12, Issue 545, 19 July 1994, Page 3

Funding concerns expressed by Waiouru Community Board

The Waiouru Community Board has expressed grave concerns in respect to proposed rates charges for the 1994/95 financial year. At its meeting on 21 June a submission was prepared for Council consideration that stated: all rates levied and collected for the purpose of maintaining and improving the roading network within the respective wards be allocated for spending within the ward from which those rates were collected. It also asked that Council investigate the installation of a coin-operated facility or similar user-pays mechanism to control the use of the Waiouru public toilets on the basis that the user should make some contibution to the annual operating costs. And, that Council review the budget provided for the 1994/95 financial year in respect of Waiouru parks and reserves, as that budget appears in the opinion of the Board, to be set at too high a level. The further concern in respect to water

charges increasing when it had been indicated that a lesser annual overall cost was necessary. This was explained to the Board as being due to a change in the incidence of rating shifting from commercial to a larger contribution by residential ratepayers. At the Council meeting on 29 June, the Board' s submissions were heard and Councillor Bob Vine attempted to pass on reasons for submissions being presented. New information was also presented by council staff outlining cost breakdowns within respective categories of charges, and it was emphasised that there has never been any intention todivide roading rating to match ward requirements. Council decided to make no change to proposed roading rates, to initiate proposals, to install some user-pay mechanism within the proposed upgraded Waiouru public toilets, and to present to the Waiouru B oard the parks and reserves charges breakdown for information.