28 Feb 2017

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Christchurch City Council has agreed on the city’s draft budget for next year, which will go out for public feedback next month.

Councillors debate the Draft Annual Plan.

Councillors met this morning to consider the Draft Annual Plan.

The Council is planning to invest nearly half a billion dollars in projects over the 2017–18 financial year, while reducing its borrowing and keeping the average rates increase close to what it signalled last year – at 5.5 per cent.

Mayor Lianne Dalziel said the Draft Annual Plan discussed today shows the Council is getting on with delivering the programme.

“We have never gone into a new financial year with so many projects already committed. At $270 million, it represents more than half of the Council’s entire capital works programme.

“Big projects currently under way, such as the new Central Library, the Town Hall and the Metro Sports Facility, mean there’s a real sense of momentum now in the city’s regeneration.

“Under the Draft Annual Plan we’re still doing the same amount of work and essential projects are still on-track, but some costs are being spread over future years, so they’re better aligned with project timeframes,” added Mayor Dalziel.

Public submissions on the Council’s Draft Annual Plan open 20 March and close 28 April. After considering feedback and making changes, the Council will adopt a final version of the plan in late June.

Changes made to the Draft Annual Plan today include:

  • Sumner Village Master Plan: Funding rescheduled to allow tender and construction to go ahead ($537,000 for 2017–18, and $500,000 for 2018–19)
  • Shirley Community Centre: $30,000 removed (from $100,000 to $70,000)
  • Redwood Plunket Rooms: $30,000 added
  • City-wide bike-share scheme: $400,000 added
  • Rapanui Shag Rock Cycleway: $2.3 million substituted from the Riccarton Road Interchange and Bus Priority project to undertake section 2 of the cycleway (Aldwins Road to Dyers Road). The cost of this section is $8.4 million, inclusive of two-thirds external funding
  • Cobb Cottage: $30,000 added to further secure the building, help prevent deterioration and to contribute towards public consultation and consenting costs
  • Intersections: The Council agreed to include information and invite feedback about intersection safety in the Draft Annual Plan’s consultation document.