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Annual Plan for 2003 finalised
Christchurch City Council has completed its Annual
Plan for 2002/2003 after considering almost 700
submissions from the public, groups and organisations. Councillor Alister James, Chairman of the Council’s
Strategy and Finance Committee, says this year’s
Annual Plan provides for “responsible and steady
progress” with actual and predicted rating levels in
the next three years below 4 per cent. Cr James said Councillors and staff were working
to lower expected increases. “I’m confident further
savings can be achieved having regard to the reviews
being undertaken by the Budget Scrutiny and Audit
Committee and an Annual Plan statement that the
operational budget will be reduced by at least $10
million by 2005/2006.” However, he said the City Council continues to
face rising numbers of requests for extra spending
on current projects and new schemes, at the same
time as wanting to ensure rates increases are kept
to a minimum. Committee members also noticed
and commented on an apparent upward swing in
the numbers of community, welfare, religious and
cultural groups and charitable trusts seeking ongoing
ratepayer support at a time when other funders’
resources were under pressure. Public interest Cr James said several issues in the Plan were
worth specific mention because of the level of
public interest in them. • Lyttelton Boating. The Council decided to alter its
plan to put in money to support public boating
facilities at Lyttelton. Instead of spreading the $3m
it proposed over three years, it will now provide the
money over the next two years in the hope it will
stimulate the needed private investment. •New Brighton. The Master Plan to reinvigorate
New Brighton, with its emphasis on development of
the foreshore and beach park, has Council support.
In its forward plans the Council has earmarked
$1.4m to support the plan and $150,000 for
playground development. Any special rate which
might come from businesses in the area would be
in addition to that sum. •Aranui Renewal. The Plan includes further work
towards the Aranui Renewal strategy, including
money for Living Streets work and street lighting in
Hampshire Street, lighting for Wainoni Park and a
school speed zone on Breezes Road. • First-hour-free parking. The Central City firsthour-
free parking scheme has been extended to
include the Manchester Street car park. The scheme
will be funded by changes to parking meter charges
and a small increase in casual and earlybird parking
charges. The Hospital car park charges will remain
at $1 an hour. •Cathedral Square. Cr James said his colleagues
accept that the Square must be finished “once and
for all”. The most recent proposals to achieve this
will go before the Council’s Strategy and Finance
Committee for consideration and public
consultation will follow. Money for the work is likely
to be in the 2003/04 budget. • Kerb and Channel. From 2005/06 the Council
plans to put another $2m for kerb and channel
renewals. •Multicultural city. To support multicultural
advocacy and development in the city, the Council
will spend $50,000 a year. |