$10m carryover cash seen as ‘progress’ for Ashburton council
By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Delivery has improved but still needs to be better in the Ashburton District.
That was Ashburton mayor Neil Brown’s reaction to the council having just over $10m of carry-over projects from the 2023-24 financial year.
Carry-over money is work that had been budgeted for but was either never started or not completed in the last financial year.
“We need to definitely get the work done in the year we have budgeted for,” Brown said.
“With inflation being rampant over the last few years, when we do get to do the work it's gone up in price from what we budgeted on the year before.
“The carryovers aren’t as large as previous years so we are making progress which is good to see.
“Having no carryovers would be best, but that’s probably a pipedream because there can always be some delays.”
He believed the staff were doing their best to stick to the plans and budgets.
Councillor Richard Wilson said the council needs to be doing what it sets out to do on time and on budget, especially when it comes to three waters projects.
“We need to ensure that the money is spent when we say it [will be].”
Councillors as the governance need to hold chief executive Hamish Riach and the staff that run the operations to account to deliver, he said.
“I support the carryovers but I think they need to be dropping down significantly.”
The council approved the $8,956,894 of capital and $1,318,706 operational expenditure carryovers, a total of $10,275,600.
It’s a big drop from the $38.9m in carryovers from last year (which was more than double the $14.6m the previous year), which had included $22m for the delayed construction of Te Whare Whakatere, Methven water treatment plant, and Mt Somers Water Treatment Plant.
Some projects are repeat carryovers, like the $1.9m for the Art Gallery and Heritage Centre air conditioning upgrade.
There are $4m of property projects and $3.69m of drinking water projects making up the bulk of the $8.9m of capital works.
The figure was reduced by $50,000 as the councillors decided not to fund the installation of shade infrastructure in the courtyard play area and blinds on the ground floor windows adjacent to Baring Square East.
Kalle
"Sports and travelling run in the family, and that's kind of what's led me to come to New Zealand."
"I grew up in a small town in Finland. My dad was involved with sports all his life, he was a shot putter, discus thrower, powerlifter, we traveled quite a bit when I was a kid. He never mentioned much of the rugby days. He just said he broke both of his shin bones playing rugby, so he said, ‘never play the sport, It's crazy.’
I started playing when I was 18. I played my first cap for the Finnish national team in 2014, we won the Finnish championship with my club. Rugby is not a big thing in Finland.
I moved here to play rugby in 2017. The club that wanted me to come over was Methven Rugby Club. They got me here and they were like, ‘what do you do for work? I’d just finished chef school in Finland. ‘We'll get you a job at Mount Hutt as a chef, you can do that while you play rugby with us.’ I said, ‘Perfect. Yeah, I'm in’.
I've always loved food. My mum was an amazing cook, and still is. When I was studying tourism I worked in some hotels in Finland, and I saw how the chef's worked. I just loved the kitchen vibe and I was like, Yeah, that’d be something I'd love to do.
I've had more of a culinary journey In New Zealand than in Finland. I started at Mount Hutt, after that I worked at The Dubliner in Methven. I worked as a senior pizza chef at Sal’s for maybe six months then worked as chef de partie at Cellar Door. At Eliza's Manor, I worked myself up to a junior sous chef. Then the opportunity came to work my first head chef job at Moon Under Water.
We're privileged to have a busy atmosphere, we can try new things and get a bit creative. There are no TV’s, just come here with your family or with your mates, play board games, to socialise.
I really want to drive the local food and ingredients through the menu. We don't mind spending more for quality ingredients as long as it's supporting New Zealand businesses. We just love to use local. And it's pub food, but I feel like it's elevated.
I play club rugby here for the Christchurch Football Club, the oldest club in New Zealand and I still play regularly for the Finnish national team, whenever they can fly me over to play."
- Kalle
View more stories, or nominate someone: @humansofchch
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Poll: Is it okay to grocery shop in your PJs?
I'm sure you've seen it while doing your weekly shop... In fact, it may have even been you.
What do you think about people heading to the supermarket in their pyjamas?
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14.3% It's fine!
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75.1% It's questionable
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10.6% Other - I'll share below
Vanessa
“Giggly girt! Giggly girt!”
“See I got my hair cut on Friday. I've got my hair band to keep it up. See? Like this I keep it up.
Biscuit Blair - she's my favourite woman. And you. And that cheeky lady over there.
My last name is Rule. I'll write it down for you, you silly old duff.
I was born on West Coast. I moved here when I was a little girl.
I like doing pictures here that’s why I like pictures. Doing art. I like going for a walk. I come here Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.
My sister, I go see her on Saturday. Have a cup of coffee, at home. She's five, nine. 59. I'm five, seven, 57. This year I'll be 58. My birthday's on a Thursday. I'm having chocolate cake and pizza. And lolly ice cream.
Some people are noisy. Nicholas, and Peter and Chris, they are my friends and that giggly girt over there.
I get headache sometimes at other work, because noisy.
I'm happy here. I could go for a walk if I want to. I'm good.”
- Vanessa, White Room Creative Spaces
The White Room is a community creative space that removes barriers to
making art. Through this, artists build confidence and connections and
embrace new opportunities.
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