City-wide revenue and savings proposals up for 10-Year Plan discussion

Proposals to increase revenue by $1.5 million and make savings of $740,000 across seven wide ranging areas of Hamilton city’s business are up for discussion  this week at a key Council meeting.

The meeting on Thursday 6 October is the next in a series taking place over September and October reviewing the entire business of Council as part of building a 10-Year Plan for 2012-22. Waikato Museum, Swimming Facilities, the Zoo, Animal Control, Planning and Environmental Health and Public Safety are the areas of scrutiny. A range of recommendations from staff which would bring in additional revenue as well as make savings are being considered as part of the target of $14.5 million operational savings and debt control measures.

Increases to fees and charges are proposed in a number of areas including for building and resource consents, LIMs, planning, food safety premises, and dog registration.

Savings of $500,000 are proposed at the Waikato Museum, including reducing the frequency of exhibitions, and number of school education programmes, stopping the Gallery Host programme and public programmes, and ceasing managing the community galleries and shop at ArtsPost.

Increasing zoo entry charges to bring them into line with other comparable wildlife attractions are also proposed. A reduction to the service provided by Noise Control is also up for discussion.
Proposals around swimming facilities include reducing winter pool opening hours, closing the Municipal Pool in Victoria St, and increasing pool entry, gym and learn to swim fees. The decisions made at the meeting will feed into the draft 10-Year Plan which the public will formally have their say on from March next year, before the Plan comes into action on 1 July 2012.

In the meantime the public can share their views at by speaking at a 30 minute Public Forum at the start of each Council meeting, as well as commenting in an online forum at http://getinvolved.hcc.govt.nz/smartthinking

Council Chief Executive Barry Harris says:” Council’s scrutiny of it’s business continues with some significant revenue and savings opportunities up for consideration by Councillors at Thursday’s meeting.
“Both business and leisure activities are in the spotlight, with the recommendations from staff presenting some challenging decision-making in order that Council meet the financial goals it has set.”