Balancing funding and expectations
The Gore District Council is like many other councils: it has plenty of issues but not a bottomless pit of money to find every answer. Gore reporter Michael Curreen looks at the council and what it is facing over the next few years.
KEEPING up forward momentum in the Gore district will require investment, but not everyone has the same ideas on where money should be spent.
Some rural residents want the Gore District Council to give more attention to their roads after it has put almost $400,000 into a bridge that might never be built.
Meanwhile, there are businesses struggling with staff shortages and supply issues and climate change is set to bring increased flood risks.
There is also pressure for the council to invest more into its waste management service, which lacks any form of kerbside recycling outside of glass.
Although the council is taking steps to remedy these situations, it is also grappling with the challenges of its ageing infrastructure.
The council is pouring millions of dollars into upgrading its water infrastructure, including a combined $8.5 million on upgrades to the Gore and Mataura water treatment plants and $4.2 million on a pipeline renewal for Elizabeth St.
However, $300 million is needed over the next 30 years to get Gore’s water infrastructure up to scratch.
That is a cost the council cannot meet alone, and although partnering with the Government is a possible solution, its Three Waters reform will see the council lose control of its water assets.
The review into the future of local government is another looming reform which could change the way the council operates.
Despite these challenges, a high satisfaction rate with the district’s parks and amenities indicates some areas are getting the funding they need.
Events such as the Hokonui Fashion Awards are among other successful initiatives supported by the council.
Millions of dollars of funding from the Government has also been secured for the council’s projects.
However, with the Maruawai Centre going almost 40% over budget, these projects may be getting too expensive.
The Government is putting $3 million towards the transformation of the James Cumming Wing into a new library and function rooms, but the total cost is still $7.75 million.
With the council’s debt sitting at more than $40 million and forecast to continue rising above $50 million in 2024, it is unclear how the council will pay this off after an unbalanced budget of $763,000 was approved earlier this year.
This is despite a rates increase of 5.94%, which could be considered rather modest given inflation was 6.9% earlier this year.
In the upcoming election, all but three current councillors are seeking to be reelected as well as Mayor Tracy Hicks, who is standing for his seventh term.
His sole opponent is newcomer Ben Bell who, if elected, would be the first new mayor of the Gore district in 18 years.
The 23yearold has partnered up with three others running for council under the Team Hokonui ticket, promising a change to the status quo.
Voters have an important decision to make as it will be up to the next council to strike the right balance and decide where its ratepayers’ money would best be spent while navigating Government reforms.
MAKAREWA: Another hurdle has been cleared for the planned data centre on the outskirts of Invercargill.
The 43ha of land, which is set to home a ‘‘hyperscale’’ data centre, was blessed in Southland yesterday.
The blessing ceremony was run by members of the Waihopai Runaka and people from the Southland community came out to support the event held in Makarewa.
Plans are in place to construct a $700 million data centre project on the land.
Datagrid has the potential to service many companies which were on the look out to store their data away from larger centres.
Datagrid chief executive officer Remi Galasso said the next steps for the initiative were to complete the designs of the facility and seek resource consent from the Southland District Council and Invercargill City Council.
He believed the location was the ideal spot as there were three powerlines which crossed the area.
‘‘They run from Manapouri to Tiwai Point, and the third line comes from PowerNet.
‘‘It is perfect because we will be able to build a power substation and get direct power from those lines. The land is also secure because it is located out of the flood and tsunami zone.
‘‘Our expectation is that we will have at least one or two landing [stations] in New Zealand. Our team is working on potential landings on Oreti Beach or maybe Bluff.’’
It was an ‘‘ambitious project’’ as other landing stations would be located in Christchurch and Dunedin.
Southland Mayor Gary Tong said the project would provide jobs and opportunity for the district.
‘‘It’s going to be a big build and the end result will benefit everybody.
‘‘ It is very exciting. It’s been on the go for two years and it’s fantastic that Remi and his team in due diligence have been able to locate the property in Southland.’’