The average rates increases for the next year are closer to being finalised, with the Central Otago District Council currently sitting at 12.46% after its Long Term Plan deliberations yesterday.

There's another deadline looming - the Roxburgh Pool Committee has until Monday to decide whether to hand over its two-year-old facility to the council, or the transfer was off the table.

Deputy Mayor Neil Gillespie had strong words for the Teviot community, to “get it together,” following the divide among residents about whether to divest the pool asset.

The Roxburgh Pool Committee first told council in December 2024 that the complexities and costs associated with managing and maintaining a pool had increased, and they were struggling to employ lifeguards to keep the facility safe and supervised. 

But council taking ownership of the pool would mean a further increase in rates for the Teviot, and many people were not keen on that option, according to feedback in the LTP.

Council would officially strike its rates on July 1, and the final decision needed to be made on who was operating the Roxburgh pool moving forward.

Meanwhile, the Alexandra community has made it clear its outdoor pool should stay and would be better utilised if adequately staffed, and the council has listened.

The Centennial Milk Bar will be retained in Ranfurly

Eight low use halls/community facilities would be divested across the district, and those council has chosen not to continue financially supporting - Patearoa, Wedderburn and Waipiata, already had community discussions underway for their future ownership.

A total of 13 halls and community facilities have been retained - Millers Flat, Poolburn, Becks, Ophir, Clyde Hall, museum and the railway station, Ranfurly Hall, Wallace Memorial Rooms, Centennial Milkbar, Naseby Hall and general store, and the Fenton Library.

The proposed $250,000 tourism grant to SuperCars was now off the table after council hadn’t received any formal proposal about the event - nor had they received a submission on it.

Council decided that bumping up volumetric water charges from 60 cents to $2.40/cu m was extreme, and decided to increase them initially to $1.60 for the first year, and then up to $2.40 the following year - to give high users time to explore other options.

With no water charge increases since 2012, council admitted it had dropped the ball, but staff said by staying with the status quo they risked not being able to service some high use areas in Cromwell and Clyde.

Mayor Tamah Alley said the big issues were with commercial irrigators still linked into town water supplies, “and they’re going to have to find alternatives.”

The Alexandra Blossom Festival’s $24,500 that it had to reapply for every year, would now be funded annually through the District Tourism reserves.

A surprise mining royalties contribution of $165,000 per annum would be used for the roading emergency works fund, and there would be more about that in the Central App tomorrow.

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