Naish Park group presented to Council
Councillors were given an update on the project to develop Naish and Centennial Parks into an overall destination park at the last Council Meeting for the year held on Thursday.
Group spokesperson Sarah Van Asperen said the group had been meeting with playground suppliers and designers and landscape designers which had helped the group to develop a plan for the two parks.
The group had also had arborists reports, met with the Otago Regional Council to discuss the flood protection, held working bees at the park and met with the Naish family descendants to learn about the history of the park.
The group is now working towards developing a concept plan from playground and landscape designers in order to prepare a budget to present to Council along with working up a timeline of how the work could be staged.
Balclutha War Memorial Community Hub funding success
Members of the Balclutha War Memorial Community Hall group updated Councillors on how the project was developing.
Hub Trust Chair Dale Anderson told Council the group had been thrilled to announce that funding of $80,000 from The Lotteries Grants Board Community Facilities fund have officially been received.
The group comprising of 14 local residents, and led by Ken Payne ( Committee Chair ) and Dale Anderson ( Hub Trust Chair ), will use this funding to develop a Feasibility Study for the Balclutha War Memorial Community Hub.
The groups vision is to provide an inspiring, inviting, multi-functional hub that puts Balclutha on the map.
It will cater to the needs of the wider Clutha Community now and into the future, while honouring its foundations as a War Memorial Hall.
“It is our goal to provide a sustainable multipurpose facility that will adapt with the ongoing needs of the community, a place people of all ages want to come back to,” Mr Anderson said.
Land sold to Tuapeka Community Health
Clutha District Council agreed to sell vacant land at 19 Harrington Street, Lawrence to the Tuapeka Community Health Incorporated.
The health company intends to build six community owned and operated retirement accommodation on the land and were asking for the sale of the land for a nominal fee.
A late item to Council, Councillors decided to support the group but asked that the health company pay $5,000 now and have a clause that if the property was ever on-sold the balance of the property’s market value, as at today’s market value, would be paid to Council.
Tuapeka Community Health Incorporated is a community-owned organisation which provides health services to the Tuapeka community.
In order to provide essential health services to the community the group has acknowledged it needed to generate income to help sustain the financial health of the company hence the planned community housing.
CCTV camera for South end of Balclutha
Councillors agreed to fund an extra CCTV camera to help monitor the South end of Balclutha.
The Police had asked for two cameras however Councillors voiced their disappointment that Police would not help fund the cameras as well, particularly as they were a very useful crime solving tool.
Council had previously approved a $20K budget for additional cameras, primarily near the Balclutha Bridge.
However, these had come in under budget and there was additional funds unspent.
Police were asking for two cameras extra in total which would then put the cost over the $20K budget.
Councillors acknowledged a camera at the South end was a good idea and by only funding one camera they could stay within the original $20K budget.
Water and Sanitary Services Bylaw to be developed
Council will develop an updated Water and Sanitary Services Bylaw including Sewerage, Trade Waste Discharges and Stormwater and release it for public consultation.
It was decided at the meeting that a bylaw was the most appropriate way of addressing trade waste, and discharges to the district’s sewerage and stormwater networks.
Included in the bylaw would be how to address trade waste discharges and consents, creation of a trade waste charging policy, consent conditions, sampling, analysis and monitoring of trade waste, a water metering update, maintenance responsibilities for water, sewerage and stormwater discharges and how the bylaw would be administered.
Development of the bylaw will begin in 2019.
Rate arrears write-off
Council will once again write-off rates arrears on Maori land in the district.
This annual write-off decision was first made in 2001 for accounting purposes, as most of the Maori land in the district is native bush and under multiple-ownership.
If Council were to take legal action to recover arrears it would need to be against each owner and with some land in ownership of over 200 people, it would be cost prohibitive for the level of rates being collected.
The total written off was $16,389.10.
Council to join LGFA
In order to help fund some of Council’s new infrastructure which is on the cards for the next 10 years Council has joined the Local Government Funding Agency (LGFA).
Council acknowledges that having the LGFA (non-guarantor) membership would be the cheapest form of borrowing available to the Local Government Sector to help fund some of the new infrastructure reflected in the Long Term Plan.
In making the decision to join Council considered the following:
• Do nothing and cash in some of its investment portfolio to fund infrastructure additions.
• Borrow from a commercial bank at an interest rate higher than from the LGFA to fund infrastructure additions.
• Become a member of the LGFA as a non-guaranteeing / borrowing member to fund infrastructure additions – the interest payable on borrowings will be at a rate lower than a commercial bank.
• Become a member of the LGFA as a guaranteeing / borrowing member to fund infrastructure additions – the interest payable on borrowings will be at a rate lower than a commercial bank and slightly lower than a non-guaranteeing borrower member.
Council carried out a special consultative procedure in the lead up to the Long Term Plan and decided to become a non-guaranteeing borrowing member and the decision at Council’s meeting on Thursday brings together the legal side of Clutha District Council joining the LGFA.
District Plan Change for Milton
Council has agreed to put forward a proposed plan change for a large area of the Tokomairiro Plain to be rezoned as industrial.
The Tokomairiro Plain (approximately 330ha) stretches from Milburn in the north to the outskirts of Milton in the South.
In making the decision Council considered the importance that such development capacity was available so the District could continue to attract people and businesses without compromising the amenity values of our urban areas.
Council wanted to ensure communities had the appropriate provisions in place that allow the area to grow sustainably in the future.
This location has long been earmarked for industrial purposes given its locational attributes.
The site has access to both State Highway One and the railway; is flat and generally flood free; and is not near a major residential area.
It is also located within close proximity to a large forestry resource, which is evidenced by the fact that two wood processing facilities, PanPac and previously City Forests have set up in the northern part of this area.
Calder Stewart have also established their headquarters and steel manufacturing facility at the southern end of the area while a smaller industrial activity has established near Circle Hill Road.
Council acknowledged that there was unlikely to be very little land of this size available in the Clutha/Dunedin area that is zoned “Industrial”.
Two rounds of consultation had already taken place leading up to this stage and the issues were well canvassed with affected landowners and key stakeholders.
To achieve co-ordinated and integrated development of this site, a Structure Plan is considered necessary and the plan change decision will put in place this mechanism and for development to follow that is in accordance with the Structure Plan.
Now the decision is approved the next step is to include the structure plan and re-notify it for submissions regarding the plan change.
This plan change was flagged as part of the District Plan review process, where Council has undertaken a review of the current industrial and residential zoning in the Balclutha, Milton and Stirling areas.
Annual Plan 2019-20 Timetable confirmed
At Thursday's Council meeting councilors agreed to a timetable for the Annual Plan 2019/20.
This included:
7 February 2019 - Update Report to Audit & Risk Committee
21 February 2019 - Annual Plan workshop at 10 am
21 March 2019 - Consultation material adopted by Council
25 March 2019 - Consultation period opens
26 April 2019 - Consultation period closes
2 May 2019 - Annual Plan 2019/20 Hearing
16 May 2019 - Council meeting to decide changes for final Annual Plan 2019/20
12 June 2019 - Council meeting when adopts Annual Plan 2019/20 and strikes rates
Council agrees to additional
Capital Projects for 2018-19
Some additional capital projects have been added to the programme of works for 2018-19.
Although the initial Annual Plan was adopted in June 2018 since that time there have been instances where new information has come to hand which has prompted staff to put forward the additional projects.
In making the decision Council acknowledged that there were operational benefits in completing the work this financial year.
At Thursday’s meeting Council decided on the following additional works:
• The Clydevale-Pomahaka Rural Water Supply Committee have requested additional funding be bought forward to complete works on Old Lake Road using larger diameter pipe. There is also a section of pipe on Wharetoa Road that has had several breaks in the days following replacement of the pipe upstream. If these breaks continue they also want this to be replaced.
• Kaka Point Sewer Oxidation Pond Desludging Contract is in place and the Contractor has indicated his availability to complete the work this year.
• Stirling Sewer Oxidation Pond Desludging Contract is in place and the Contractor has indicated his availability to complete the work this year.
Drawdown request approved
Councillors approved a drawdown request of $128,400 to the Clutha Gold Cycle Trail Trust.
The Trust has a programme of work it wishes to continue to progress the Cycle Trail and had requested a further drawdown.
Council had previously agreed to provide the Trust with a grant of $1 million for the Lawrence to Waihola cycle trail extension.
Councillors acknowledged that the Trust was waiting to hear if their application for funds from the Provincial Growth Fund had been successful or not but in the meantime acknowledged they needed to help them keep momentum going.
Council staff to further investigate roading options for Akatore Road
Councilors decided that a speed reduction was not the solution.
Council has received numerous service requests and fielded many complaints with regard to the logging traffic, speed and associated dust issues on Akatore Road, specifically at the concentration of houses between Taieri Beach Road and Liddells Road.
A road safety assessment had been undertaken and was detailed in a report to Council at Thursday’s meeting.
It was Council staff’s wish to continue canvassing the NZTA for financial assistance for the possible seal extension of a section of Akatore Road, between Taieri Beach Road and Liddells Road, however this would need to be factored into decisions on future District seal extensions.
New road named
Councillors decided to honour Clutha’s former mayor by naming the new road at Rosebank Industrial Park “Fyall Drive”.
Council invited people to put forward their ideas which were detailed in a report to Council.
Results of annual resident survey released
Results of the 2018 annual resident survey were released at Thursday’s Council Meeting.
Eighty five percent were satisfied with the Clutha District Council overall in regards to Elected Members and Council.
Mt Cooee Landfill, the wheelie bin service, water and district sewerage all rated high.
The survey was conducted during November via telephone with 300 randomly selected residents giving their views on a raft of aspects relating to Council and its services.
This year an additional online version of the survey was introduced to allow wider feedback and engagement with residents across the district with an additional 164 residents providing their feedback.