$20.6m draft NRC budget approved

Northland Regional Councillors today (subs: Weds 19 March) approved a $20.6 million draft 2008/09 budget, which includes a proposal for about $900,000 of new spending designed to reduce flood risks around the region.


The public will have from Saturday 12 April until Tuesday 13 May to comment on the flood risk reduction work and other spending proposed under the Council’s Draft Annual Plan 2008/09.


Regional Council Chairman Mark Farnsworth says the Council plans to spend $20.6M, excluding GST, over the 12 months from 1 July.


Existing general rates levied are expected to rise an average of about two percent with the Council proposing to collect almost $10.7M (excluding GST) in total rates revenue across almost 83,000 properties Northland-wide.


Mr Farnsworth says returns from the Council’s comprehensive investment portfolio will once again significantly offset the amount of money that would otherwise have to be collected from rates.


“In fact, income from investments, fees and charges is expected to meet roughly half of the Council’s proposed $20.6M budget.”


Mr Farnsworth says under the Draft Annual Plan, a ratepayer in the Whangarei District whose land is worth the District average of $246,000 will pay about $135 in Regional Council rates over the next 12 months.


A ratepayer in the Kaipara District whose land is worth the District average of $265,000 will pay about $111 in Regional Council rates over the same period.


Mr Farnsworth says properties in the Far North District were recently independently revalued by Quotable Value and currently have an average land value of $304,000, which would attract an NRC rates bill of about $111.


He says the Council’s Draft Annual Plan closely mirrors a path already set out previously in its Long Term Council Community Plan 2006-2016.


Where the Draft does vary is in the area of extra spending to reduce flood risks across the region, including a new targeted rate to collect roughly $100,000 annually from the flood-prone Whangaroa/Kaeo area. Subject to community approval, the funding will be used to maintain the channels of rivers and streams in that area.


Mr Farnsworth says the draft budget also contains provision for a total of about $1.6M extra to be spent from rates over the next two years to pay for individually tailored river management plans for a number of Northland catchments deemed most at risk from flooding.


He says the river management needs of 20 catchments of varying size throughout Northland have been initially assessed, with rivers given a tentative ranking according to the risks they pose to human life, buildings, access, infrastructure and agriculture.


Of the 20 rivers deemed most at risk – and which the Council is now proposing river management plans for - 15 are in the Far North District, four in the Whangarei District and one in the Kaipara.


Mr Farnsworth says all Northlanders will have the chance to comment on the Council’s plans for the next 12 months once the Draft Plan is publicly notified next month. “My fellow Councillors and I urge as many people as possible to take advantage of this important opportunity to make their voices heard.”


Submissions on the Draft Annual Plan will be considered by Councillors at hearings in late May and - in recognition of likely community interest from the area - one day of the hearings is expected to be held in Kaeo.


Based on submissions, any changes to the Draft will be incorporated in a revised Annual Plan to be presented to the full Council for adoption at its June meeting. A final version of the Annual Plan will then be printed and distributed in late July.


Copies of the Draft Annual Plan will be available from Council offices - or via the Council’s website www.nrc.govt.nz – in mid-April.