Council makes Covid-19-inspired changes

The Stratford district can probably still look forward to a new $15.6 million pool but other projects have been recommended for the backburner in the wake of Covid-19.

On Tuesday, the Stratford District Council Policy and Services Committee approved the Annual Plan for 2020/21, recommending that it be adopted at next month’s full council meeting.

While several projects, including the new $15.6m pool, are still planned for the near future, others have been delayed.

Pre-coronavirus, the council proposed a rates increase of 5.72 per cent but an April council meeting saw elected members reconsider that and other council spending due to the expected impact of Covid-19 on ratepayers.

Stratford Mayor Neil Volzke said the council identified internal savings around items that have ‘‘little direct impact’’ on the community and the services the council provides.

‘‘It was important that we don’t pull back on our intended infrastructure work, as this would be counterproductive in the long term,’’ Volzke said.

He said the council had already made savings in other areas by offsetting several previously unforeseen costs, too.

It was decided about $255,000 of operating expenditure would be removed from the initial draft budget, to reduce the rates increase to 4.3 per cent.

Some money-saving changes within the annual plan included: no longer painting internal rooms of the war memorial at a cost of $54,000; reduction in interest rate assumption, saving $21,332; maintenance contract procurement savings of $228,000; reduction in depreciation expense – post infrastructure asset revaluation, $97,000; reduction in staff training budget by $67,700, removing pensioner housing renovations at a cost of $44,000; and removing forestry strategy study consultants expenditure, saving $34,597.

Several projects that will still go ahead, partly or fully externally funded are: the $15,636,500 pool development; an upgrade of the War Memorial Centre for Civil Defence purposes at a cost of $50,000; the new $521,000 children’s bike park at Victoria Park; the $104,000 Stratford Discovery Trail; a yard upgrade and calf bay at Council Farm for $75,000; the $105,000 wastewater pipework capacity increase; and water supply – new rider mains, water meters, and valves installed for $586,000.