Confirmation of rate increase next week

City Councillors have delayed recommending a rate increase for the 2008/2009 financial year until next Wednesday.


At the Committee of Council meeting last night (Wednesday) Councillors spent more than six hours debating the major projects and had reduced the rate increase from a starting point of 12.3 percent to 12 percent when the meeting was adjourned by Mayor Jono Naylor until the full Council meeting next week.


In provisional decisions agreed last evening, Councillors increased funding for water main renewals and supported the inclusion of the Rugby Museum within Te Manawa and ongoing streetscaping in the Central Business District (CBD).


They deferred spending on the recreational lake, upgrading the Pahiatua Track, widening Ferguson Street from Linton to Pitt Street and relocating the depot at the Victoria Esplanade or replacing the aviary or conservatory.


The frequency of collecting kerbside recyclables however is likely to be fortnightly instead of weekly from July 1, 2008.


That decision does not affect the weekly collection of rubbish bags.


Debate on the provisional decisions from last night’s meeting including discussion on wording of the Draft Annual Plan document will resume at the full Council meeting on March 12.