Cumulative DCC rates rise; council boffins continue ruse of ‘found savings’

At Facebook:

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The council had engaged with the public well, and arrived at a figure under the 3% limit. It was pleasing to keep faith with the community, and keep that promise. –Mayor Cull

### ODT Online Wed, 17 May 2017
2.99% Dunedin rates rise
By David Loughrey
Despite an extra $100,000 of spending approved this week, the Dunedin City Council scraped in under its self-imposed 3% target for rates rises for the next financial year. The council approved a budget that will see ratepayers asked for an extra 2.99% for 2017-18. Annual plan deliberations ended yesterday, after councillors spent a day and a-half discussing spending for the year ahead. The only major changes affecting ratepayers were an extra $100,000 approved for two projects, changes that came after staff found a further $100,000 in savings. […] Mr Cull said some people had reservations about the annual plan process, which featured feedback meetings rather than formal submissions this year, before full submissions are brought back for the long-term plan next year.
Read more

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### ODT Online Wed, 17 May 2017
DCC approves $1m for artificial turf
By David Loughrey
Dunedin is set to get two artificial turf sports fields at Logan Park late this year or early next, after a proposal set to cost the city $1 million won unanimous approval yesterday. The move has delighted Football South, which had asked for the money to be provided urgently to attract available funding from Fifa. The Dunedin City Council annual plan deliberations meeting supported the proposal despite concerns from Cr Aaron Hawkins there had been no official public submissions this year, and others had been discouraged from suggesting new projects until next year’s long-term plan.
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We’re not interested in (thank god) ex Cr Jinty MacTavish’s or the Green Party’s vision (what vision). DCC’s job IS to look after the environment together with infrastructure service provision. No further strategy is needed. Note the contradictions and hypocrisy contained in this item (italics by whatifdunedin):

The council moved the decision to give the strategy $200,000 to continue work towards making Dunedin a zero carbon, healthy environment.

### ODT Online Tue, 16 May 2017
Funding set for strategy
By Margot Taylor
The environment, bus governance and pool admission fees dominated discussions at the first day of Dunedin City Council annual plan hearings yesterday. The absence of public submissions was a notable difference at the hearing. The public had a chance to voice their opinions on the 2017-18 draft annual plan at public forums and drop-in sessions from March 30 to May 1, rather than at annual plan hearings as in previous years. Dunedin’s environment strategy received 26 comments during the consultation. Mayor Dave Cull said the comments provided “a pretty clear response” about funding for the initiative.
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CUMULATIVE RATES INCREASES –
NO FAITH IS KEPT AT ALL EXCEPT THAT MAYOR CULL HAS TO GO

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

Coastal erosion, Taieri Mouth : ‘DCC shouldn’t rush into potentially costly repair job’

Hands Off | Let’s Write Another Report | Let’s Take Another Year….

[The same appears to apply to repair and upgrade of the Aurora Energy power network (except, minus the DCC reports!) and Delta’s Yaldhurst subdivision (let’s spend UNTOLD MILLIONS with no due diligence by DCC itself!). And what was that about another subdivision hitherto unmentioned, patience Whatiffers…..]

Instead, DCC rushes to spend Public Funds by building cycleways on SH1 before external subsidies dry up.

The core infrastructure DEBACLE continues.
Thanks DCC, you’re a star.

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Taieri Mouth by Alastair Smith [flickr.com]

### ODT Online Sat, 28 Jan 2017
Board wants urgent action on erosion
By Chris Morris
The Saddle Hill Community Board is calling for “urgent” action to address worsening coastal erosion threatening part of Taieri Mouth Rd. A group including board chairman Scott Weatherall and Dunedin City Council staff visited the area, about 100m north of Dicksons Rd, again this week to inspect the damage. The area had been slowly slipping away for years, monitored by the council, but Mr Weatherall said  action was now needed.
It was reported last year erosion had stripped about 10m of the bank, exposing fence railings and a telecommunications cable, and Mr Weatherall said this week it was continuing to creep closer to Taieri Mouth Rd. “It’s absolutely getting worse,” he said. The problem was at its most “significant” at that location, but also a problem in other areas along the coastal route, he said.
The council, after monitoring the situation for years, had responded more recently with a traffic management plan, including cones and new fences, he said. However, the advice from council staff to the board had been that money to fix the problem was not available until the next financial year.
Read more

[click to enlarge]
Google Maps – Taieri Rd and (flagged) Dicksons Rd, Otago

Google Earth – Taieri Rd and (flagged) Dicksons Rd, Otago

DCC Webmap – Taieri Mouth Rd and Dicksons Rd coastal area JanFeb2013

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Comment received:

Donald
2017/02/08 at 2:03 pm
I see Cr Wilson’s at it again with her expert knowledge on road issues. First it was the cycle ways and the shambles she headed. Now she is giving her knowledgeable opinion about the erosion hazard on a section of Taieri Mouth Road. Even though the Chair of the Saddle Hill community board called for urgent action. Cr Wilson calls it concerning, but council should not rush a solution. Could the gestation period for this fix be another 20 reports and $200,000 later it is decided that ‘Oh we did have a problem, but not any more, we don’t have a road’. Clean out the swamp.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

DCC Draft Annual Plan 2017/18

Council Chamber, Municipal Chambers [architecturenow.co.nz]

An ordinary meeting of the Dunedin City Council will be held on Monday 23 January 2017 in the Edinburgh Room, Municipal Chambers, The Octagon, starting at 9.00am.

● Agenda
https://infocouncil.dunedin.govt.nz/RedirectToDoc.aspx?URL=Open/2017/01/CNL_20170123_AGN_482_AT_WEB.htm

1 Introduction                                                                                           
2 Apologies                                                                                              
3 Confirmation of Agenda
4 Declaration of Interest    
REPORTS
5 Draft 2017/18 Annual Plan Budget Material
6 Draft 2017/18 Budget – Water and Waste Group
7 Emissions Trading Scheme Liabilities and Proposed Carbon Management Policy
8 Draft 2017/18 Budget – Solid Waste
9 Update on the Tertiary Precinct Safety and Accessibility Upgrade
10 Draft 2017/18 Budget – Transport Group
11 Draft 2017/18 Budget – Parks and Recreation Group
12 Draft 2017/18 Budget – Property
13 Draft 2017/18 Budget – Arts and Culture Group
14 Draft 2017/18 Budget – Customer and Regulatory Group
15 Te Ao Tūroa Environment Strategy Funding
16 Review of the Allocation of Funding to Applicants to the Biodiversity Fund
17 Draft 2017/18 Budget – Community and Planning Group
18 Draft 2017/18 Budget – Enterprise Dunedin
19 Draft 2017/18 Budget – Corporate Services
20 Draft 2017/18 Budget – Corporate Support Services
21 Draft 2017/18 Budget – Waipori Fund
22 Draft 2017/18 Budget – Investment Account                                                            
 
● Council Open Attachments under separate cover
[see item 9 Update on the Tertiary Precinct Safety and Accessibility Upgrade]
https://infocouncil.dunedin.govt.nz/RedirectToDoc.aspx?URL=Open/2017/01/CNL_20170123_ATT_482_EXCLUDED_WEB.htm

● Council Supplementary Agenda
23 2017/18 Rating Method
24 Notices of Motion                
https://infocouncil.dunedin.govt.nz/RedirectToDoc.aspx?URL=Open/2017/01/CNL_20170123_AGN_482_AT_SUP_WEB.htm

█ Document Source:
http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/your-council/agendas-minutes

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.