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By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Waimakariri ratepayers are set for a rates hike of nearly 9%.
Planning for population growth, tackling inflation costs and preparing for natural disasters are set to feature in the Waimakariri District Council’s 2024-34 long-term plan (LTP).
… View moreBy David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Waimakariri ratepayers are set for a rates hike of nearly 9%.
Planning for population growth, tackling inflation costs and preparing for natural disasters are set to feature in the Waimakariri District Council’s 2024-34 long-term plan (LTP).
Council staff proposed a rates rise of 8.94% at the opening session of LTP deliberations on Tuesday morning (January 30).
The impact of high interest rates meant several large projects including a hydrotherapy pool for the Kaiapoi Aquatic Centre and proposed cycle way projects were deferred to reduce the impact on ratepayers.
Finance and business support general manager Nicole Robinson said the district’s population was expected to grow from 70,000 to 82,075 by 2034, requiring about 4950 new houses, based on Stats NZ’s high growth scenario.
‘‘That equates to 495 houses a year and we are already trending towards 700 consents for new houses this year.’’
To support growth, major projects in the LTP included the proposed Rangiora Eastern Link Rd, an extension of the Rangiora Library and Civic Centre and completion of the Southbrook Sports Club facility and Mainpower Oval developments.
She said staff identified 21 potential risks over the next 10 years, including natural disasters, climate change, inflation and changes from central Government.
The council planned to establish a permanent infrastructure recovery team this year to manage the growing number of adverse events the district was facing.
While inflation peaked at 7.3% in 2022, it was expected to drop to about 2.2% next year, allowing staff to predict rates rises will drop below 5% from next year.
But Robinson urged caution in an uncertain economic environment.
‘‘If we were to see a high inflationary environment continue it would have a huge impact on our expenditure.’’
The proposed Kaiapoi to Woodend, Rangiora (Southbrook) and Woodend to Pegasus cycle ways were due to be funded as part of the previous Government’s Transport Choices funding.
However, the fund has been canned by the new Government.
Chief executive Jeff Millward said there was cause for optimism.
Credit rating agency Standard and Poor's has confirmed the council’s AA long-term and A-1+ short-term credit rating with a stable outlook.
An A-1 credit rating with the additional plus (+) sign means the council’s ability to meet its commitments is ‘‘extremely strong’’, according to the Standard and Poor’s website.
The council was still paying off its earthquake recovery loan from the 2010 and 2011 quakes, but Millward said the council was in a strong position.
‘‘We have enough head room for not one, but two major adverse events.’’
The council’s deliberations were scheduled to finish on Thursday, with councillors meeting again on February 27 to adopt the draft LTP for consultation.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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After the Christmas/New Year break, the North Canterbury Woodcraft Club Open Nights return on Wednesday 17 January.
Where: Northbrook Studios, 191 Northbrook Road, Rangiora
When: 7 pm, 17 January, 2024
What: A 2 hour expert free demonstration of woodturning
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Conservationists and biodiversity managers have suspected for some time the karoro (southern black-backed gull) was behaving as a predator to other native birds.
Now bird counts in Hurunui and Kaikōura show the karoro is a predator to threatened ground… View moreBy David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Conservationists and biodiversity managers have suspected for some time the karoro (southern black-backed gull) was behaving as a predator to other native birds.
Now bird counts in Hurunui and Kaikōura show the karoro is a predator to threatened ground nesting birds for a source of food, Environment Canterbury (ECan) senior biodiversity adviser Heath Melville says.
The karoro are ‘‘a big, beautiful bird’’, but have been monitored attacking nesting colonies until complete failure by destroying eggs and taking young chicks for food.
They are also known to attack newborn lambs and calves, and other vulnerable livestock.
‘‘We can certainly see the black backed gulls are relentless,’’ he said.
‘‘We have been doing some controls, but they are still returning to these sites to breed."
ECan recently completed bird counts at the Waiau Uwha and Hurunui rivers in the Hurunui district, and the Clarence Waiau Toa and Charwell rivers and along the Kaikōura coastline.
This was co-ordinated with bird counts conducted by the Department of Conservation (DOC) and other councils from across the South Island, to learn more about the karora and threatened native species nesting in colonies, primarily in braided riverbeds.
The Waiau Uwha braided river bird surveys have been completed eight times since 2008.
The latest count produced a similar result to previous years, with native bird numbers trending down, while karoro and exotic species were trending upwards.
In all, 45 bird species were identified in the Waiau Uwha survey, including native wrybill, white and black-fronted tern, and banded dotterel.
The birds were also threatened by animals and humans, as well as climate change, habitat loss and weed infestations in riverbeds, leaving birds to nest in areas prone to high river flows.
The Kaikōura sites were added to the bird survey last year, after the Kaikōura Zone Committee agreed to fund a count of the karoro, provided staff engage with mana whenua.
A Te Rūnanga o Kaikōura spokesperson said karoro eggs were traditionally collected as mahinga kai, but there was no need to manage the population prior to colonisation.
The birds have expanded into areas where land use provides increased food sources, particularly braided rivers surrounded by farmland, and near landfills or refuse centres.
The Rūnanga was supportive of taking control measures, provided decisions were based on good data, the spokesperson said.
‘‘The biggest concern for Ngāti Kurī is having a clear understanding of what is going on.
‘‘If the karoro is predating other native species in decline then we need to manage it.
‘‘But what if we have a cull and then we have a disease go through the population, then we have contributed to wiping them out.’’
Kaikōura had the largest red billed gull colonies in New Zealand, while black-billed gulls, shags, terns, oystercatchers and dotterels were also surveyed breeding in the area.
Bird counts were new in Kaikōura, aside from a 52-year study by local resident James Mills of red billed gulls on the Kaikōura Peninsula. This study has shown the red billed gull was in steady decline, despite predator control measures carried out by DOC.
The endangered red billed gulls were often considered a problem to outdoor diners, which has been exacerbated by declining food sources at sea, Melville said.
‘‘They get in people’s faces, take their eggs benny or their fish ’n chips because in many instances they are literally starving, whereas the karoro don’t tend to get so close, and are better adapted at foraging a more diverse diet in highly modified environments.’’
Melville said council staff will continue engaging with the Rūnanga, DOC, LINZ, Clarence River Rafting (which have been assisting in surveying nesting sites), researchers, and other councils and biodiversity managers to monitor the population and develop strategies to manage bird populations.
The karoro are proving to be a pest in other parts of the South Island.
In Geraldine, DOC biodiversity senior ranger Ian Fraser said his office has been working to control karoro on local rivers over the last eight years.
‘‘We have been talking with [Te Rūnanga o] Arowhenua and they have been working with Environment Canterbury, identifying the potential of karoro eggs as mahinga kai and the Rūnanga has carried out some control work as well.’’
Fraser said land use changes over the last 1000 years had favoured karoro over other native birds.
The clearing of forests have created open plains, while today’s farms offered plenty of food sources - ‘‘not to mention our waste facilities’’.
‘‘We have altered the balance, so we need to try to meddle in good ways.’’
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Affordable housing needs to be a priority for Kaiapoi as the town is the brink of major growth, Waimakariri deputy mayor Neville Atkinson says.
Atkinson is looking at ways to keep house prices down, including offering leasehold land for development.
… View moreBy David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Affordable housing needs to be a priority for Kaiapoi as the town is the brink of major growth, Waimakariri deputy mayor Neville Atkinson says.
Atkinson is looking at ways to keep house prices down, including offering leasehold land for development.
More than a decade on from the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes which devastated the town, its population is now more than 13,000 and is set for more growth.
Atkinson, who is the council’s housing portfolio holder, said affordable housing is a human right, but the question is how to achieve it.
‘‘People are saying ‘you keep talking about it and don’t do anything’, but we are, but it is complicated and planning takes time.
‘‘There are so many people in different degrees of inadequate housing and there are no easy solutions.
‘‘It is about looking at different models which can work and giving people some options.’’
Statistics New Zealand high growth projections suggest the town could grow by 52% over the next 30 years, creating demand for an extra 2900 new houses.
The proposed Waimakariri District Plan, which is expected to take effect later this year, proposes opening up 97 hectares for housing in Kaiapoi - enough land for more than 4000 houses.
To help reduce the upfront housing costs and rising debt levels, Atkinson would like to see more council and government owned land opened up as leasehold land for housing.
‘‘There would need to be a bit of due diligence around the lease agreements, but it could be a great option for people.
‘‘As long as we can get banks on board, it would significantly reduce their mortgage as they wouldn’t need to borrow as much.’’
Te Kohaka o Tuhaitara Trust, a partnership between the council and Te Ngāi Tūāhuriri Rūnanga, has proposed making former red zone land at Kairaki Beach available as leasehold land for housing.
Atkinson said the land may only have finite life, given the predictions around sea level rise, so it would mean home owners were not tied to the land.
Another option could be selling a house on an undeveloped section, with the home owner adding a driveway, garage, lawn and garden as they could afford it.
‘‘It won’t work for everybody and developers often want to offer a complete package, but we need to look at ways of making it more affordable.’’
The council is expecting an update soon on a mixed used development on former red zone land on the south bank of the Kaiapoi River, first proposed by local developer William Hill Consulting Ltd in 2021.
Atkinson is also keen for his council to explore a Dunedin City Council model of centralised hot water heating cylinders on pensioner housing, which has significantly reduced power bills.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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