Selwyn Times: October 04, 2016

8
Tuesday October 4 2016
SELWYN TIMES
In the lead up to local body elections on Saturday, the Selwyn Times has been regularly
putting a question to each of the five Selwyn mayoral candidates. The final question
relates to the 6km of new footpaths constructed by the district council during the current
financial year. The footpaths cost $500,000 in total, with $400,000 of that being met from
investment income and therefore no direct cost to the ratepayer. Lincoln and Prebbleton
are not among the 12 Selwyn communities which will benefit from this. If the district
council is using funds from investments, why shouldn’t some funds be allocated to these
two towns?
District
councillor Sam
Broughton:
The
contribution to
the general rate
from households
across the district
is an important income source
for our community and is used
to pay for public good items
including footpaths where a
targeted rate is not appropriate or
difficult to apportion.
Income from investments is
treated in the same way. The
council makes general rate
decisions based on need and
looks to be fair across the district.
There are footpaths in each of the
wards to be completed as part of
the programme.
The footpath programme is
to bring our footpaths up to the
expectations of our community.
The towns with the most work
have been lagging behind our
expected standard and it will be
good to see them upgraded over
the next couple of years.
District
councillor
Debra Hasson:
Investment
revenue is used to
support the general
rate and applied
across Selwyn in
‘swings and roundabouts’.
Due to the timing of this money,
post annual plan deliberations
council decided to increase the
footpath budget from $200,000
to $500,000 over 12-18 months,
bringing forward planned
expenditure. A revised list was
prepared by staff reflecting both
submissions and priorities. While
Lincoln and Prebbleton footpaths
were not included, on a ward basis,
footpaths in Tai Tapu were.
Once this $500,000 has been
spent, council plans to consult
with township committees on
council’s Walking and Cycling
Strategy so further footpaths can
be added.
Please remember, to construct
Lincoln’s Town Centre Plan, general
rate funding will apply and
some years ago Prebbleton had its
main street upgraded.
District
councillor Pat
McEvedy:
The footpaths
listed in the
2016/17 footpath
extension programme
are those
that have been requested by various
township committees over a
period of years.
The $400,000 from a Sicon
dividend has made it possible
to reduce the nine year waiting
list. Most of these footpaths are
missing links in the older parts
of these townships. The reason
that there are none in Lincoln
and Prebbleton may mean that
the connections in these two
townships are much better than
most other townships. This
reflects the quality of the recent
developments in these towns that
has provided good linkages and
connections for walking.
It’s important that we respond
to what individual communities
want and request as all of our
townships are unique and have
different requirements.
Elections 16
Deputy mayor
Sarah Walters:
An assessment
was undertaken by
staff based on three
pedestrian benefit
factors to initially
determine priority
across the district and letters were
sent to community committees
asking for further feedback.
Priority was determined on:
those within townships (ie the
benefit to more pedestrians), those
alongside the busiest road
(ie improves safety of pedestrians),
those that filled in a missing link
(ie gaps between existing footpaths
to make routes more continuous).
Since the annual budget was
put together the council has also
adopted the Lincoln Town Centre
Plan which includes improved
pedestrian facilities and requires
significant investment but has
not yet been through the budget
process.
Bill Woods:
This question
is directed to the
other candidates
as I have had no
involvement in
the decision but I
am confident that
there would have been a list of
footpaths to be constructed and
an order of priority drawn up
with the towns of Lincoln and
Prebbleton not making the grade.
What I am also not aware of is
did the councillors question the
order or just accept the list presented
to them without question?
If past actions are anything to
go by the list would have been accepted
without any questioning.
I must emphasise this is only my
assessment as I have no information
to the contrary.
Summer Wedding?
Visit Smith & Boston!
Experience a tiny hearing aid that
outperforms normal hearing in
challenging listening environments*
A virtually invisible German engineered hearing aid that
enables wearers to understand speech in difficult listening
situations like busy restaurants, and reduces listening
effort throughout your day.*
Easy to operate with excellent sound quality and audibility.
For further information or to book an
appointment for a free hearing screening
and hearing aid demonstration
FREE PHONE: 0800 72 73 66
Completely disappears
Hearing Clinics available: Christchurch, Rangiora, Ashburton and West Coast
(Hokitika, Greymouth and Westport). Consultations by Appointment only.
*Clinically proven in two independent studies to provide better than normal hearing in certain demanding listening environments.
*Special conditions apply
Merivale Hearing Clinic
24b Church Lane, Merivale. Call: 356 2324
Greg Foote, Audiologist
New
stock
in store
now
SMITH & BOSTON
Prebbleton Village | Christchurch
Ph: 03 349 5646
www.smithandboston.co.nz
Freshen up your look
Come and see our full collection of
curtain and upholstery fabrics today.
Classic Curtains & Interiors
817 Jones Road, Rolleston
Ph 03 347 4295
Brighten
up a
bedroom
with a
crisp
new
decor.
Visit us
today.