Is Tasman getting a fair deal?

A review of funds flowing across the boundary from Tasman district to Nelson city looks likely as the size of the money trail is highlighted.

Tasman District Council figures show that as at March, for the 2017-18 year to date, it paid more than $5.5 million to Nelson City Council or Nelson-based organisations, while less than one-tenth of that – $530,396 – came back the other way.

For the 2016-17 year, TDC paid just over $4m to the city council or Nelson organisations for ‘‘business as usual’’ items such as museums, arts strategy initiatives and communications, as well as the Nelson Regional Sewerage Business Unit. There was also a one-off payment of $4.2m, in recognition of the difference in values of landfills in the two areas after the councils agreed to run a joint operation.

Just under $2m came back the other way.

Confirmation of the figures comes after Cr David Ogilvie this week raised the issue of cross- boundary payments while Tasman district councillors were deliberating over the submissions received for the TDC draft Long Term Plan 2018-28.

TDC needed to ‘‘align ourselves more appropriately to district-wide activities’’, and its priorities should be to district rather than joint projects, Ogilvie said.

In a paper he distributed to his fellow councillors, Ogilvie says it is reasonable and responsible for each authority to acknowledge the ‘‘regional factor’’ within its activities. However, while TDC apportions a ‘‘significant budget’’ for activities where it recognises a regional aspect, the city council ‘‘does not contribute to regional functions/activities within Tasman’’, he says.

Key regional rivers such as the Waimea are funded by the Tasman council alone.

‘‘Should Tasman District [Council] formally request assistance from the Nelson City Coun- cil to fund capital and operational costs for the district’s rivers? For example, $500,000,’’ Ogilvie asks.

He also questions the level of Tasman ratepayer funds paid to Saxton Field, arguing that a 30 per cent share appears ‘‘logical and appropriate’’ to match the district population Saxton services rather than the 50 per cent share TDC is set to fund from July.

‘‘Moreover, the Nelson City Council could recognise the regional role of the aquatic centre