Waimea Weekly Locally Owned and Operated
Wednesday 29 March 2023
Rhondda’s makeover
KAKA SHIELD
Page 6
Alfie table tennis star Page 26
‘Unpalatable’ 9 per cent rates increase MAX FRETHEY
Local Democracy Reporter
Residents can have their say from Wednesday on Tasman District Council’s proposal of an average 9.06 per cent rates increase. Public consultation on the rates proposal, the main change to council’s annual plan for the
2023/24 year, will run until the end of April. “I don’t think anyone wants to be sitting here, having a conversation [about] or suggesting a 9.06… per cent rate increase,” Mayor Tim King says. “Looking around the country, there is a variation, but there are an awful lot of councils facing very similar
decisions to us.” Like everyone else, councils are grappling with rising interest rates and inflationary pressures which makes it difficult to keep rates increases low. “As unpalatable as 9.06 per cent is, I recognise the work that we did to get down to 9.06 per cent,” said councillor Brent Maru.
The starting point was a 20 per cent increase. Councillors and staff worked that figure down to 9.06 per cent through a series of workshops. Brent says, in times of high rates increases many people in the community feel that council should peel its services right back to the basics.
But he thinks cutting back spending on what he feels are “key components” of council’s programme, like community grants and supporting local facilities, would have greater ramifications for the region than the benefit from those savings.
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Wolves’ heroic win JACK MALCOLM A heroic captain’s performance by Wolves’ (Wanderers/Motueka) Sean Neal has sealed his team a seven-wicket win in premier cricket’s one-day final against ACOB. Sean hit the winning runs with a boundary to finish with 69 runs not out, despite tearing his bicep earlier in the day while bowling. Battling through the pain with the help of adrenaline, he says the result was the perfect way to cap off their season. “The last two games were tough
SEE PAGE 20
Wolves walked away deserving winners after a seven-wicket victory in the final. Photo: Chris Symes/Shuttersport.
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