The majority of Te Manawa's increased grant will support the upgrade of Te Rangi Whenua Gallery, developed in partnership with Rangitāne. Photo / Andy Kruy
The majority of Te Manawa's increased grant will support the upgrade of Te Rangi Whenua Gallery, developed in partnership with Rangitāne. Photo / Andy Kruy
Increased insurance premiums have added $400,000 to Palmerston North City Council’s budget for 2023-24.
Elected members also agreed to add $341,000 for residential growth planning and $150,000 for industrial growth planning.
The council’s total rates revenue will increase by 7.7 per cent, while the uniform annual general charge remains at $200.
The increase is less than the 8.3 per cent signalled in the 10-Year Plan, but up from the 6.4 per cent in the proposed budget.
Palmerston North Mayor Grant Smith said the council had looked at every service, programme and project to find areas where spending can be reduced, or non-essential work deferred.
The budget for wheelie bin and crate renewals has been cut from the proposed $162,000 to $100,000.
Te Manawa is a winner in this year’s budget. Elected members agreed to increase its operating grant by $250,000. The money will enable the museum and art gallery to upgrade Te Rangi Whenua Gallery, host the exhibition Six Extinctions and undertake the Peter Bush Archives project.
Te Manawa does not have sufficient lighting or the appropriate casing to display taonga in Te Rangi Whenua Gallery, chief executive Susanna Shadbolt said.
It has the opportunity to become the home of the Peter Bush Archive. Bush is the country’s leading sports photographer and has been capturing the All Blacks since his first assignment for the New Zealand Herald in 1949. The project is a partnership with the Bush family and the New Zealand Rugby Museum to preserve photos and made them accessible to the public.
Peter Bush at an exhibition of his photos at the Auckland Viaduct in 2011. Photo / Paul Estcourt
The Globe Theatre’s operating funding has been increased by $50,000.
In response to submissions, elected members allocated $150,000 for a feasibility study to review the needs of Awapuni and Te Pātikitiki libraries, a Pasifika hub and more community space in Highbury.
Councillor Lorna Johnson said the Pasifika community had been asking for more space for quite some time. She has been to events at Pasifika Community Centre in Westbrookandsaid it is always “absolutely crowded and out the door”.
Smith said space at the centre is so limited, people are cooking outside to feed guests. He couldn’t face the Pasifika community if the council didn’t fund a feasibility study.
An investigatory budget of $200,000 has been allocated to begin the planning work to identify potential sites for future bores to the east of the city.
The $138,000 to “improve participation in council and committee meetings” has been carried forward from the 2022-23 budget.
New TV screens, four cameras that automatically re-position to the person speaking, new microphones and voting consoles are being installed in the council chamber this month.
The budget to replace telecommunications equipment in council buildings has been cut from $151,000 to $77,000, while $53,000 has been allocated for the replacement of photocopiers/printers, down from $128,000 in the 10-Year Plan.
The budget for new vehicles and plant to deliver improved council services has been cut from $303,000 to $157,000, while upgrading to electric vehicles has been deferred to the 10-Year Plan.
The council prepares a new 10-Year Plan in consultation with residents every three years. This will happen next year.
The following charges have all increased for 2023-24:
Water supply $407 (up from $348 in 2022-23);
Wastewater disposal $306 ($284);
Kerbside recycling $148 ($129);
Rubbish and public recycling $103 ($92).
The annual budget states the council’s intentions but does not constitute a decision to act on any specific matter included.
