Selwyn_Times: January 31, 2024
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<strong>Selwyn</strong> <strong>Times</strong> Wednesday <strong>January</strong> <strong>31</strong> <strong>2024</strong><br />
4<br />
NEWS<br />
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz<br />
Councillors respond<br />
to forecast 16% hike<br />
High rates rise<br />
• From page 1<br />
Last year’s rates rise was based<br />
on that projection, with an<br />
average rates rise of 5.9 per cent.<br />
Council staff said there are<br />
several factors contributing to<br />
the higher rates rise, such as the<br />
current financial landscape with<br />
cost increases across the board. It<br />
includes money it has borrowed,<br />
which has gone from 2.5 per cent<br />
to what will be a 6 per cent interest<br />
rate.<br />
The council is receiving a lower<br />
dividend revenue from Orion,<br />
which it owns 10.7 per cent of<br />
(the remainder is owned by<br />
Christchurch City Council).<br />
Beyond <strong>2024</strong>, rates increases<br />
are expected to remain high,<br />
with a 2025/26 forecasted rise of<br />
about 13 per cent, and a 2026/27<br />
forecasted rise of about 11 per<br />
cent.<br />
Over the 10 years of the LTP,<br />
the average rise is expected to be<br />
about 8 per cent.<br />
Not included in the rates is any<br />
contribution to Christchurch’s<br />
Te Kaha stadium. Christchurch<br />
Mayor Phil Mauger will be<br />
sending a letter to <strong>Selwyn</strong> and<br />
Waimakariri councils to ask for<br />
help to pay for it.<br />
Last week Broughton said any<br />
funding would be consulted with<br />
the community first (see reader<br />
responses, pages 11 & 13).<br />
The council will continue to<br />
tweak the draft LTP over the<br />
next two months, which includes<br />
finalising the rates rise before the<br />
draft goes out to the public for<br />
consultation in April.<br />
As part of the consultation,<br />
ratepayers are likely to be asked<br />
for their opinions on several large<br />
projects including chlorination<br />
exemptions, public transport,<br />
and the construction of multiple<br />
community facilities.<br />
• The draft LTP will go<br />
out for public consultation<br />
in April. To have your say<br />
register at yoursay.selwyn.<br />
govt.nz/register<br />
<strong>Selwyn</strong> <strong>Times</strong> asked<br />
Mayor Sam Broughton<br />
and councillors for<br />
their thoughts on the<br />
16 per cent rise and<br />
whether they would<br />
be happy to go to the<br />
community with the<br />
numbers as they<br />
stand<br />
Rolleston<br />
Ward<br />
councillor<br />
Sophie<br />
McInnes: “My<br />
bank balance<br />
will be happier<br />
if the finalised<br />
increase is<br />
less than 16%, but I’m very<br />
Sophie<br />
McInnes<br />
aware that last year’s average<br />
of 5.9% actually set us back in<br />
terms of being able to complete<br />
necessary work. I have no<br />
problems with going to the<br />
community with this draft LTP<br />
though; that’s the process that<br />
allows residents to let us know<br />
what they think – which usually<br />
includes requests for additional<br />
capital projects!”<br />
Malvern<br />
Ward<br />
councillor<br />
Lydia Gliddon:<br />
“This is a draft<br />
number but<br />
16 per cent is<br />
particularly<br />
unsavoury.<br />
We still have<br />
work to do – at<br />
16% this includes items our<br />
Lydia<br />
Gliddon<br />
communities have previously<br />
told us they would like, and<br />
their thoughts may have<br />
changed – we need consultation<br />
feedback on what is and isn’t<br />
wanted. If our constituents are<br />
having to tighten their belts –<br />
we should too. It is our role to<br />
be fiscally prudent.”<br />
Malvern<br />
Ward<br />
councillor Bob<br />
Mugford: “I<br />
am never happy<br />
with large rate<br />
increases and<br />
hope during<br />
consultation Bob<br />
the community Mugford<br />
will tell us what<br />
levels of service they want in<br />
the future which will affect rate<br />
increases in the future.”<br />
Springs Ward councillor<br />
Grant Miller: “I endorse letting<br />
our community know the<br />
true cost of the current and<br />
proposed services we deliver in<br />
<strong>Selwyn</strong>. The Long-Term Plan<br />
process is the opportunity<br />
for the community to either<br />
endorse this level of service or<br />
tell us which part of our service<br />
delivery they would be comfortable<br />
being delivered at a lower<br />
level of service (or not at all).”<br />
Deputy mayor Malcolm Lyall:<br />
“It is too early in the LTP process<br />
to make major decisions. I will<br />
always first listen to the public<br />
submissions before commenting.<br />
I will have the impact of any rate<br />
rises at front of mind during the<br />
process.”<br />
Mayor Sam Broughton,<br />
Rolleston Ward councillors<br />
Nicole Reid and Phil Dean,<br />
Ellesmere Ward councillors<br />
Elizabeth Mundt and Shane<br />
Epiha, and Springs Ward<br />
councillor Debra Hasson did<br />
not respond to the questions<br />
from <strong>Selwyn</strong> <strong>Times</strong>.<br />
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