LTP tweaked and finalised

An extra $200,000 for stormwater upgrades, retaining rubbish bins and an extra $6000 per year for surf lifesaving at Titahi Bay Beach featured among the revisions to Porirua City Council’s 10- year plan, which was finalised last week.

Councillors and mayor Nick Leggett met on Wednesday to discuss council officers’ recommendations for the long term plan (LTP) after all the public submissions had been considered. The plan will be officially signed off on June 27, with an average rates increase of 3.4 per cent forecast. However, this could climb depending on the decisions on the fate of the Moana Court housing and cuts to library services. The changes to the draft LTP: PCC will not provide $12,000 per year for maintenance of the Te Araroa Walkway between Pukerua Bay and Paekakariki.

The Annual Residents’ Survey has been reinstated, at a cost of $50,000 a year.

The proposal to remove rubbish bins from certain parts of the city has been scrapped.

Stormwater upgrades costing $200,000 ($20,000 per year) have been added.

There will be no contribution to the Regional Amenities Fund, which would have cost $144,000 in the first two years.

$40,000 a year for PCC’s City Partners Programme.

An extra $6000 for Titahi Bay Surf Lifesaving.

Further reports on the future of the Moana Ct flats and the city’s library services are being prepared for the June 27 meeting.

Dave Fletcher, representing residents from Moana Ct, used the public speaking time to tell councillors he and supporters had collected 1489 signatures on a petition imploring the council not to sell the housing block.

‘‘I want to stress the emotions and reactions of people who learned this council was not committed to this small number of old people’s housing. It’s your property, you can do what you want with it, but if you sell, it will not be popular. This petition is a statement of public opinion and you would do well to bear that in mind with an election next year.’’

Mr Leggett said he and councillors were ‘‘sensitive’’ to the fact they were making decisions about people’s homes but the city council was not a social housing organisation. He was confident it would be a ‘‘soft transition’’ if new management of the units were to be sought.

Alongside the LTP, the council also approved e- voting for next year’s elections and still faced a tough decision on whether to remain part of the Local Authority Protection Programme.

Porirua is one of 59 councils which have their underground infrastructure covered by the LAPP fund but their insurance premium will rise $ 156,000 in the next financial year. The council will decide before the end of this month whether to take part in it again.