Council cans Fjord turn

Rates will rise 2.7 per cent on average this year after a last-minute Fjord turnaround removed $100,000 from Porirua City Council’s Annual Plan budget last Wednesday.

The money had been earmarked for installing a right-hand turn or roundabout allowing access from Whitford Brown Ave to Aotea’s Fjord block.

Councillors Denys Latham, Euon Murrell and Liz Kelly voted to keep the project, but were defeated by nine votes against.

A further $70,000 budgeted for an investigation of the Fjord turning will remain in the Annual Plan, but Bronwyn Kropp proposed its scope be widened to include busy and dangerous Whitford Brown Ave intersections at Okowai Rd and Papakowhai Rd, a suggestion unanimously supported by councillors.

‘‘Other intersections around the city are a shambles and we have to be clear what our priorities are,’’ Ms Kropp said.

Litea Ah Hoi said it was imprudent to budget $100,000 for the Fjord turning before getting a report.

But Mr Murrell warned opponents that taking the Fjord funds away now would ensure the project would still be languishing uncompleted in three years’ time.

‘‘ Two years we’ve been talking about Whitford Brown, and we can’t get a sensible report out of anyone. In three years we’ll be still talking about the Fjord.’’