Ratepayers' Quarterly Update

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Ratepayers Quarterly Update July 2011

From Harry

 

July is the start of the Council’s financial year and more importantly the first month of our annual budget. You may have read in the media that the Council approved Budget 2011/12 at the end of last month.

This budget aims to continue the progress we have made as a district in recent years, while keeping a careful eye on costs. Council managers have scoured their departmental budgets for savings and I’m pleased to say we have shaved $4 million from the original 2011/12 rates requirement outlined in our 2009-2019 Community Plan.

While everyone’s individual rates will differ depending on a number of factors,
we are able to say that the average residential rate under the new budget
will be $156 per month, compared to the 2010/11 average of $148 per month.

We all have our own views on whether that is too much or about right. Some people even tell us we should be doing more and increasing the rates, although I suspect they’re in a minority! The most important thing is what we all get in return.

To try to communicate this in a simple and engaging way we have produced the map below. This shows you how the $156 average monthly rate will be allocated across the various Council services. We hope it will give ratepayers some clarity on what they’re receiving in return for their rates payments. Take a look and see what you think.

Mayor Harry Duynhoven

Len Lye Centre

The creation of a new centre to display the works of artist Len Lye has been the subject of lively discussion since the Government’s June announcement that it will contribute $4 million to the project.



As shown in the artist’s impression above, the stainless steel Len Lye Centre will be a striking addition to the New Plymouth landscape. But what will it offer? When will it open? Where will it be? And how much will it cost? Read on for some key facts about the future world centre for Len Lye.

What will the Len Lye Centre offer?
Permanent access to Lye’s art and ideas. The internationally acclaimed Len Lye Collection and Archive consists of 18,000 items, including Lye’s sculptures and paintings, and thousands of his drawings, photographs, slides and manuscripts. The centre will also provide an education suite, information lounges and a cinema.

When will it open?
The centre is scheduled to open in late 2014.

Where will it be?
On the corner of Devon Street West and Queen Street, adjacent to the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery. The two buildings will be inter-connected with a single entrance, forming a combined facility.

How much will it cost? And who will pay for it?
Construction and fit-out is budgeted at $10m - to be raised externally, with no impact on ratepayers. To date $5.5m has been raised and there is confidence that the $10m target will be reached. The Len Lye Centre and Govett-Brewster Art Gallery will share a number of facilities as well as staff and operating costs. This pooling of resources has helped minimise the centre’s net operational costs, which are budgeted at $310,000 per year (to be funded through rates - an additional 78 cents per month on the average residential bill).

When Art Meets Sewerage ... From Chief Executive Barbara McKerrow

It’s not often you see these words in the same sentence is it? But recent announcements regarding two significant infrastructural projects – the Waitara to New Plymouth sewer and the Len Lye Centre – are great examples of the wide variety of work carried out by local councils.

While sewers tend to be described as ‘need to haves’, the phrase ‘nice to have’ is often associated with facilities such as art galleries or museums.

However, the Local Government Act 2002 – the guiding legislation for all the country’s local authorities – makes no such distinction.

The Act requires councils to promote the social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being of the community, both today and for the future. No priority is given to any of these well-beings and in its definition of core services the Act lists the likes of museums and recreational facilities alongside hard infrastructure such as roads and sewers.

So whether it’s a gallery or a sewer, a road or a swimming pool, we’re committed to meeting our requirements under the Act and, just as importantly, to providing a wide range of facilities and services to the public.

Budget 2011/12 The Numbers

156 dollars per month average residential rate.
4 million dollars saved from original estimated rates requirement.
3.6 million of debt repayment.
125 million of operational expenditure.
64 million to be collected in rates.
14.1 million for Waitara to New Plymouth sewer.
23.2 million for upgrade of New Plymouth Wastewater Treatment Plant.

• How the average residential rate of $156 per month will be spent graphic (One page 4MB PDF)