New Zealand Forestry Ltd director Cam Eyre spoke at the public forum about his concerns with the proposed rate. Photo/ Unsplash
New Zealand Forestry Ltd director Cam Eyre spoke at the public forum about his concerns with the proposed rate. Photo/ Unsplash
The Stratford District Council has delayed the adoption of their Annual Plan.
At the council's ordinary meeting on Tuesday, district mayor Neil Volzke called for the adoption of the plan to be delayed until June 28, so they could get more clarity around the proposed roading targeted rate.
The proposed rate would mean forestry owners would pay $100,000 annually to cover the costs of damage to the roads caused by logging trucks.
The move to delay the adoption of the Annual Plan came after the public forum, where New Zealand Forestry Ltd director Cam Eyre spoke about his concerns regarding the rate.
He said he was there to address his concerns with the rate and believes the rate being proposed is difficult to understand.
He said in 2015 when New Zealand Forestry managed 1800 hectares of forest, he spoke to council staff about how the trucks would use the road, with the forests coming into harvesting.
"The figure of the rate could be lower if the council worked preemptively and not reactively."
He said he did not want to 'sit there and rant' but to try and find a solution that would work for both the forestry industry and the council.
"I think the rate is an old response to a new problem. I think the best way to get on top is to work together. I want to propose that when analysing the rate, you give the industry a chance to show how we can save money. I believe you're guessing the rate and it's not the right way to do it."
Deputy mayor Alan Jamieson thanked him for offering a practical solution, but also noted the rate was being introduced because ratepayers were footing the bill for the damaged roads.
The Stratford District Council has delayed the adoption of the Annual Plan due to concerns about the proposed roading targeted rate. Photo/ Alyssa Smith
"There is nothing else we've found that could work."
Councillor Grant Boyde said the whole district had incurred a 'massive cost' due to the roading damage.
"Our ratepayers have had to pay for that damage, whether it be washouts from slash or bridges and roads and that is wrong."
Stratford mayor Neil Volzke said working together to come up with solutions would be welcome.
The mayor also said the council needed to consider Cam Eyre's comments and called for the delay in adopting the Annual Plan.
"We have had issues raised that we need to take into account. The number of properties the targeted forestry rate applies to has increased since we last discussed this, and we need to understand why. We also need clarity on who the rate applies to."
He said the rate needed better clarity around it, and delaying the adoption of the Annual Plan for two weeks would allow the council to take the time to clarify the issues.
The Annual Plan will now be adopted on June 28, at the Policy and Services council meeting.
