Long Term Community Plan 2012-2022 - Hurunui District Council

www.hurunui.govt.nz
Service
Relevant Community
Outcomes
Relevant Issues &
Constraints
Who benefits, and over
what period
Future Funding & Sustainability
Environment and
Safety – Rural Fire
The Council’s funding
of Rural Fire service
contributes to the
Hurunui district being:
A desirable and safe place
to live:
- We have attractive well
designed townships
- Communities have
access to adequate
health and emergency
services and systems
and resources are
available to meet civil
defence emergencies
- Risks to public health
are identified and
appropriately managed
A place that demonstrates
environmental
responsibility:
- We protect our
environment while
preserving people’s
property rights
- We minimise solid
waste to the fullest
extent, and manage the
rest in a sustainable
way
Rural communities benefit
more than others from this
service, hence there are
benefits to transparency and
accountability from funding
this service distinctly from
other services, and not
significant costs involved.
It is questionable whether or
not urban ratepayers within
the District should contribute
to the provision of a rural
fire service. The assistance
that the rural brigades make
to the urban areas is offset
by reciprocal arrangement of
urban brigades to turn out to
rural fires.
The New Zealand Fire Service
may attend rural fires with the
first hour being at no charge.
There is a subsidy applied by
government.
The predominant benefit is
to properties in the defined
rural fire areas, but there is
a benefit to the District as
a whole, and to the nation
as a whole in mitigating the
environmental and economic
effects of vegetation fires.
Benefits from operational
expenditure are spread over
the financial year to which
they apply.
Fighting fires:
• Property owner pays. In some instances
there may be a portion of the fire
fighting costs that may not be able to
be recovered. Such cost will need to be
recovered in line with other costs.
Other costs:
• After taking Government grants into
account, 80% from ratepayers in the
Rural Fire Authority area and 20%
from ratepayers outside the Rural Fire
Authority area. Both will be collected
by way of a Targeted Rate known as the
Rural Fire Rate.
Sustainability:
• The negative impact of the cost of this
service is offset by the social wellbeing
through having a safe and healthy
communities.
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