Ratepayers asked to help pay Wainui's set-up costs
Friday, 18 Feb 2008
By Wynsley Wriggley

Council's financial and monitoring committee has decided to include the proposed "public good"-inspired annual charge in the community plan for public consultation.

The 10 percent charge -- to be paid in annual instalments at an estimated level of $75 -- relates to the capital cost of wastewater reticulation only. No public good funding is proposed for water reticulation.

It was decided the proposed contribution (for purposes of public consultation) of 10 percent, be split at a ratio of two to one between city reticulated ratepayers ($75) and rural non-reticulated rural ratepayers ($37.50) -- as suggested by Patutahi-Taruheru councillor, Gary Hope.

Two other rural councillors Bill Burdett and Roger Haisman opposed the proposal.

There were beautiful beaches up the coast that did not get "groomed" like Wainui, said Mr Burdett.

There were also other major developments being planned in Gisborne .

"Where is it going to stop?"

Mr Haisman said if the proposal was included within the consultation process, it was clear who would turn up.

What about Makaraka?

That suburb was soon due for reticulation and they would be asking "for their turn".

The council was ''getting into a minefield".

Mr Haisman questioned if a beach was a public good. According to recent legislation, it belonged to certain people, he said.

Mr Haisman said he might sound harsh ''but it was the days of user-pays".

But rural councillors Graeme Thompson and Pat Seymour supported the proposal.

Mr Thompson said bringing more people on-line made for a more efficient wastewater system.

There was a public good because many people used Wainui Beach.

Mrs Seymour said it was well known that the rural sector produced the wealth of the district.

But Wainui was "our public face" and important for tourism. Wainui could impact on the Gisborne economy, she said.

Nona Aston said the community was divided over the issue.

"When I came on to the council, I was told in no uncertain terms this was a district council."

The proposal was that the annual public contribution be $75 per ratepayer, based on current costing estimates, but Mrs Seymour said such indicative costings were effectively meaningless.

It was not good enough to take such costing proposals to the public, Mrs Seymour said.

Council engineering and works department manager Peter Higgs said more accurate costings could not be provided until the tender and contract were awarded -- if the project went ahead.

Estimated "highly-indicative" costs are $25.8 million for water and wastewater reticulation work at Wainui-Okitu-Sponge Bay and another $2.5m for Makorori.

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