$970K repairs too much for council’s roading budget

MORE than half a million dollars has been spent repairing roads damaged by heavy rain in Central Otago last year, and a similar amount still needs to be spent repairing bridges damaged in the same storm.

The heavy rain, which fell across Otago on July 21 and caused a state of emergency to be declared in the entire region, caused significant damage to roads in the Maniototo, Manuherikia and Teviot Valley areas, a report to the Central Otago District Council roading committee meeting says.

The damage, which occurred ‘‘across a widespread area’’ of Central Otago, was ‘‘greater than can be accommodated’’ within the council’s allocated roading budgets, the report, written by council executive manager infrastructure services Julie Muir, said.

It would cost an estimated $970,000 to repair the damage, Ms Muir said.

This comprised $574,000 already spent and another $400,000 needed to replace one bridge on St Bathans Loop Rd.

Of the $970,000, the council’s share would probably be $413,940.

The council had applied to the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) for ‘‘emergency works funding’’ for the remainder, $556,060, and NZTA had indicated there was a ‘‘high likelihood of approval’’ for the funding, Ms Muir said.

For the $413,940 being paid by council, there was $367,302 in a council reserve account kept for paying the costs of emergency events on roads, Ms Muir said.

That left a deficit of $46,638, of which most could come from rates income and income from interest in 201819. There would still be a deficit of $2134.

However, another $140,000 was also needed to replace the abutment on the Hills Creek Rd, Ms Muir said.

Her report does not recommend where the extra money would come from, but says its purpose is to provide information about the ‘‘financial implications’’ of the damage on the council’s roading budgets.

The report will be discussed at the roading committee meeting today.