Waimakariri council looks to keep rates rise under 9%
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
About $690 million is set to be spent over the next 10 years replacing Waimakariri’s assets and planning for the district’s rapid growth.
The Waimakariri District Council is proposing an average rate rise of 8.94%, as recommended by staff, as it looks to complete its draft 2024-34 long-term plan (LTP).
Mayor Dan Gordon described the draft LTP as ‘‘a prudent and responsible budget’’.
‘‘We started this long-term plan with a proposed 19% rate increase based on our work programme.
‘‘For this reason, we have deferred $120m of non-essential works to the outer years to bring our rate increases to what we understand will be one of the lowest in Canterbury.
‘‘But I want to make it clear, while we have made savings, we are not compromising on our level of service.’’
The district’s population is projected to grow from about 70,000 to 82,075 by 2034, based on Stats NZ’s high growth scenario.
The council is planning to consult on five key themes as it plans for growth.
These include how best to manage the natural environment, flood resilience, provision of community facilities, extension of the Rangiora Library and the proposed Rangiora eastern link road.
The council has spent $10m of unbudgeted spending over the last three years in response to major storm events, and is planning ahead by establishing a permanent infrastructure recovery team this year.
In the last LTP in 2021, the council signalled it would build a new community centre in Pegasus and make provision for future facilities in Ravenswood.
The council announced last year it had reach an agreement with Templeton Group to purchase land on the Pegasus lakefront.
It is now consulting with the community and Templeton Group on the detailed design of a community centre, and plans to begin construction by the end of next year.
The council is also negotiating with Templeton Group to buy land for future community facilities to serve the growing Woodend and Ravenswood community.
Gordon said the council was in talks with Canterbury Cricket and Canterbury Country Cricket about extending Mainpower Oval to accommodate more cricket pitches and training facilities.
‘‘If we want to keep first-class cricket in Rangiora, we need to put in a level of investment, so we are developing a partnership around that.’’
The council will meet again on February 27 to adopt the draft LTP, before it goes out for consultation from March 15 to April 19.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Poll: Should drivers retake the theory test every 10 years?
Drivers get where they need to go, but sometimes it seems that we are all abiding by different road rules (for example, the varying ways drivers indicate around a roundabout).
Do you think drivers should be required to take a quick driving theory test every 10 years?
Vote in the poll and share any road rules that you've seen bent! 😱
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1.9% Other - I'll share below
Hero
“I was born and raised in war. To be honest, those are not good memories.
I really like Iran, and I really miss it, but I couldn’t be myself there. Even though my family didn’t like my decision, I left Iran. I promised myself that I would do whatever I can for all communities, especially for the kids, so they do not have the same experience I had.
I studied software engineering in Iran and left in 2006. I went to Malaysia and stayed in Kuala Lumpur for seven years. I was admitted to Lincoln University to do my PhD here, but unfortunately, I couldn’t afford the expenses. I requested a scholarship, but they told me I had to be there for six months first. So, I stayed in Malaysia and did my PhD in network security. In December 2013, I came to New Zealand with a work visa.
It took me a while to connect with the Iranian community here. I volunteered with the Multicultural Council, SPCA, and community patrol, and I established the Christchurch Iranian Society in 2017. Before that, I started working on Radio Toranj, the only Farsi-language radio show in New Zealand.
One of the reasons I started organizing cultural events was to showcase Iranian culture. I wanted to show people that we have delicious food, colorful dresses, traditional customs, and our own instruments. My hope was to show people that we are not what you see in the media.
I am working to involve all the communities that celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the Nowruz festival in March 2025. We want to share this celebration not only with our community but with the public as well. It’s better when it’s shared.
I remember the first time someone from Dunedin called me and asked, Hero, can you help? Something happened, and they keep declining Iranian visa applications. When I heard that, I felt insulted. We are still human, so how can they do that?
Through this journey, I’ve learned a lot. Every single day, people with different cases call me, and I try to share my knowledge and guide them as much as I can.
I have received several awards, including the Christchurch Civic Award and an Award of Recognition for my contributions to the community during the pandemic. In 2021, I established Canterbury Kia Ora Academy, a charitable trust. Through this charity, I can help other communities as well, not just the Iranian community.”
- Hero
View more stories, or nominate someone: @humansofchch
www.humansofchch.org......
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