It’s decision day for the long term plan.
Ashburton District councillors have spent the last three days discussing public feedback on the major topics before making final decisions on Thursday.
Over the last two days, they discussed some of the big issues.
Airport fees
The council is considering adjusting its changes to airport user fees after airport users raised concerns in the submissions.
There was some comparison of the airport being like a golf, ski field or gym membership system and Ashburton Mayor Neil Brown said the changes resembled a “join the club or go casual” structure.
The suggestion is to retain an annual landing fee of $200 and a $12 casual landing fee.
The fee changes aim to increase the user-pays element and reduce the cost to ratepayers.
Figures based on the 2022/23 financial year show the council earned $3.22 per landing and the compliance costs per landing were $2.62, with staff commenting that a $5 fee for all landings would have earned more income.
The council would consider a suggestion for the creation of an airport committee, but it will take time, chief executive Hamish Riach said.
“There is no way could we have that in place by July 1.”
The model will be explored over the next 12 months to possibly transfer the management by July 1, 2025.
Councillor Richard Wilson noted that outsourcing the management “doesn’t just make the overheads disappear”.
EA Networks Centre extension
There is support for a three-court extension at EA Networks Centre, but debate over when to do it.
A slight-majority (52%) of public feedback (1200 responses) supported the three-court extension starting in 2029, while 30% supported doing nothing.
Meanwhile, the majority of councillors supported a three-court extension but were split over when it should occur.
Councillors Leen Braam, Rob Mackle, and Wilson all suggested pushing it to later in the LTP.
Wilson supported delaying it due to concerns around affordability, noting the ability to bring it forward if circumstances changed in three years in the next LTP.
Braam said looking at a $21m extension, an earlier discussion around the $3.1m pool investment raised concerns around affordability and questioned if “can we afford it and do we really need it”.
Bringing the extension forward may not be plausible or affordable with the quandary around the council’s contribution of $7.5m to the second bridge project potentially not being enough, Riach said.
Councillor Russell Ellis felt the money could be better spent developing the green fields outside the centre to diversify and increase users of the existing facility.
Centre manager Richard Wood also said there was potential to install an alternative floor to the timber floor on the existing courts that will have more multipurpose uses.
A left-field suggestion came from the Mayor, asking what the installation of a mini golf course at EA Networks Centre would be, an option in the 30-year-masterplan, and if it could be funded through development contributions to be installed as soon as possible. A rough estimate will be presented on Thursday.
Funding requests
The Ashburton Event Centre, Citizens Advice Bureau, Safer Communities, and Safer Mid Canterbury will likely all get a three-year inflation-adjusted funding contract, rather than going through an annual application process.
The event centre also asked for the council to establish a capital expenditure fund to help pay for depreciation, which was being considered.
Hakatere Multicultural Council’s request of $25,000 found little support, leaving them to apply for a contestable grant fund, which may also see an increase.
Base Youth had requested $65,000 for a youth worker and $12,500 for establishing a youth advisory group.
Councillor Carolyn Cameron was supportive of the youth advisory group but not of funding a youth worker as it was outside the council’s remit.
Councillor Liz McMillan suggested using the $38,000 in the youth council reserve to fund the youth advisory group, which Ellis pointed out will cover three years and can revisited at the next LTP.
Methven Community Pool’s request for an increase from $15,000 to $25,000 was backed with McMillan estimating the impact on the Methven targeted rate would be around $7.
Lake Hood
The council takes on the $715,000 annual management and maintenance costs of the Lake Hood area from July 1
It is also planning an additional $250,000 spend to tackle water quality issues, but it was undecided whether $200,000 capital works would be rated or loan funded.
Wilson wanted some consideration of introducing a Lake Hood targeted rate as the biggest benefit of fixing the water quality issues will be to the landowners and their property values.
By Jonathan Leask
