QLDC Adopts 10 Year Plan

After two years of zero average rates increases, the Queenstown Lakes District Council has adopted a 10 Year Plan that will see an average 1.2% rates rise for 2015-16 and an average 2.8% annual increase over the next decade, while delivering major improvements to infrastructure.

The Council adopted its 10 Year Plan today, after a public consultation process that began before Easter. In all, 552 people made submissions and as a result of considering those, the Council has made some changes to what was originally put forward in the draft plan.

Mayor Vanessa van Uden said that a prudent approach to budgeting and spending in previous years had provided “headroom” for major capital projects over the next 10 years that would deliver improvements to residents. These included upgrading the Project Shotover sewage treatment facility and an earlier start to the Eastern Access Road, linking Glenda Drive with Remarkables Park.

“By controlling our expenditure and looking hard at our work programmes, we have gained enough headroom to commit to some large capital projects that will provide better facilities and services for our residents.”

Planning for a new Convention Centre on the Lakeview site is continuing, subject to external funding. The rating model that was put forward in the draft Plan will be refined further, still based on the principle that businesses in the Queenstown CBD will pay the most, with a fixed annual charge for residential properties.

Provision has been made to build a library hub at Frankton in 2020, possibly next to the Queenstown Events Centre. Over half the submissions supported this proposal, which will be scoped up in more detail so that a more specific proposal can be put to the community.

The possibility of standardising the rate for water and sewerage services is still on the table but needs further investigation. Submissions were slightly in favour of standardising a rate.

The Council also resolved to make several new grants, or increase previous funding levels for 2015-16. They include:

• Lakes District Air Rescue Trust, $25,000

• Otago Rural Fire Authority, $85,000

• Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust, $12,000

• Happiness House, $15,000

In addition, there is $60,000 for the Queenstown Chamber of Commerce’s Labour Force project; $35,000 for downtownQT to develop its strategy, and $100,000 for The Cube in Wanaka.

ENDS

20 June 2015

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