The cost of funding $3.21M worth community projects – with loos being a priority – is likely to be met by central government rather than ratepayers, if an application by the Central Otago District Council (CODC) is successful.

Two and a half billion dollars is being made available to councils across the country to help them transition through the widely-unpopular Three Waters reforms, without becoming worse off.

The funding is for local government to invest in ‘community wellbeing’ and a lengthy discussion ensued this week when councillors had to approve a project list provided by staff.

Despite CODC currently submitting against aspects of the Three Waters reforms and stating its overall disapproval of the government’s plans, the funding is openly available.

There are two stages, with projects in the first expected to be delivered within 18 months.

The second funding round is available from July 1 2024, but it is possible that it may be affected if there is a change in government next year, as the National Party has said it would repeal and rework the Three Waters reforms. 

All the projects are either already budgeted for in the council’s Long-term Plan, have evolved and need more funds, are being brought forward to be actioned earlier than initially budgeted for, or are current issues that would otherwise need to be paid for by ratepayers.

At a meeting in Alexandra on Wednesday (August 24), council approved a revised list of projects to be funded in the first stage with monies expected to be available from October 1, following approval from the Department of Internal Affairs.

Toilets at the Cromwell Bike Park were upped in priority. The latter were seen as greatly needed due to the popularity of the park with young families and the distance to the nearest available toilets being too inconvenient for users.

“The Alpha Street toilets are a long way away from the bike park. They’ve tried temporary loos there but they just get vandalised. We need something as soon as possible,” Cr Shirley Calvert said.

Cr Nigel McKinlay supported the urgency of installing toilets at the park, where he said usage was “increasing all the time”.

Projects approved and given priority included Iwi/Māori engagement to meet the second funding stage requirements ($50,000), Community Wellbeing Framework and Indicator Dataset ($90,000), Digitisation of files and online access ($251,500), Cromwell Pool sand filter and therapeutic pool liner ($400,000), Alexandra Pool liners, ($220,000), Alexandra Community Centre earthquake strengthening and stage upgrades ($584,500), Clyde Hall kitchen and accessible bathroom, fire system upgrade and double glazing ($182,500), Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) for libraries district-wide ($361,000), council-owned buildings seismic assessments and other compliance reports ($320,000), new Roxburgh Pool fencing project ($108,000), Cromwell Bike Park toilets ($235,000) and the Alexandra Library Renovation project ($611,500), according to a council media statement.

A list of contingency projects to be put forward for approval in the event of delays in delivering the initial list, or if costs come in below estimates, includes emergency electrical generators ($120,000), war memorials ($30,000), replacing flags district wide ($15,000), promotional videos for businesses for staff recruitment ($20,000), park furniture for Maniototo and Teviot Valleys ($45,000), shade sails ($100,000), Cromwell cemetery upgrade ($100,000), Starlink Communications ($30,000), and new kerbside bins ($750,000).

Council has been allocated $9.63M for the second stage and those projects will be reviewed as part of its 2024 Long Term Plan budgeting exercise.