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GIANT-KILLERS RULE WIMBLEDON p23
Guardian
Ashburton
www.guardianONLINE.co.nz
Friday, June 28, 2013
FIRST PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 27, 1879
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Council ‘shafted Wakanui takes its turn under spotlights us’ - ABA
Pay rise ‘overdue, but not big enough’ By Sue Newman
worked to a new formula that sees committee chair and the deputy mayor (new rate $27,230) earn less for the year than they do now. The district’s mayor will be paid $92,450 in the next term of council, an increase of 10 per cent. An additional $10,900 will be allocated to the council to pay to elected members in situations where there is an extra workload.
By Sue Newman A last-minute pitch by the Ashburton Business Association to delay the passing of its Trade Waste bylaw, fell on deaf ears at yesterday’s Ashburton District Council meeting. After the association had made submissions and spoken to a hearing panel, board member Kieran Breakwell said he believed the two parties were on the same wavelength, that the council had listened. ‘It was very, very positive and it appeared that they were listening. They seemed to agree with us but then they went away and did nothing. They’ve shafted us and I really didn’t think they would,” he said. The bylaw imposes a levy on businesses likely to discharge waste into the town sewer, with the amount charged tied to the nature of the business and the way in which it handled waste. Most businesses are charged simply to be on a register and undergo an inspection. When it was introduced three years ago there was huge opposition from affected business owners, with many refusing to pay. It was reviewed, changes made and a draft put out for public comment. The business association was among several organisations and individuals who made submissions. It told the hearing panel that the bylaw penalised complying businesses rather than punishing those who discharged materials into the town’s waste water system. It wanted complying businesses to be exempt from charges and it wanted an education system put in place. When he read the revised by-law, Mr Breakwell said it was clear that the council had ignored everything the association said. The association agreed with council that a trade waste bylaw was needed but because of its impact on businesses, it needed something that was workable for both council
Councillor Neil Brown suggested the new council could look at paying ACC levies from the extra pool of funds. Pay rates are population based and because of the Ashburton District was growing at a rapid rate, old population data was used and that meant pay rates were lower than they could be, chief executive Brian Lester said. Historical data puts the dis-
trict’s population at less than 30,000 but in reality it was at 32,000 and climbing, he said. The rate originally set for the new term was higher but it had been scaled back and Mr Lester said he had asked the Remuneration Authority when that gap would be closed. In districts with a similar population base councillor pay rates are around $29,000.
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Jim Burgess might be stepping down as an Ashburton District Councillor but that didn’t stop him having a say on elected member pay rates. At yesterday’s council meeting Mr Burgess said the proposed pay increase put forward by the Remuneration Authority was
overdue but he also said it didn’t go far enough. Pay rates post the October local body elections give rank and file councillors an 18 per cent pay rise, but at a new rate of $21,230, that’s not sufficient compensation for the work involved, particularly when ACC levies and tax were paid out of this, he said. The new rates have been
To see more or purchase photos Kieran Breakwell and the business community, he said. Yesterday, association representatives spoke to councillors in the council’s public forum session and asked for a delay in passing the bylaw while they gathered additional information. “We made our submissions in good faith. We feel really let down by the council but we won’t give up on this. We’re trying to do the best we can for the town’s businesses and we want to work with council, not against it on this,” Mr Breakwell said. Councillor John Leadley, who chaired the hearing panel, agreed there had been good discussion with the association during the hearing but said no suggestions had been made on issues they wanted included or deleted. Council did take on board the need for education, he said. If there was any problem it was around communication, said councillor Alan Totty. “The onus is on the council to communicate its bylaws in a way that people who apply it can understand. Once they understand it there will be a greater understanding and acceptance.” The revised trade waste bylaw was passed unanimously.
photo kirsty clay 270613-kc-144
Conductor Treena Watt leads Wakanui School during its bracket of songs at last night’s Schools’ Music Festival, held in the Ashburton Trust Event Centre. Thursday night’s review is on P8.
Bird watching for a cause By Gabrielle Stuart
House sparrow (male) – Average of 12.4 per garden. Males have chestnut-brown upperparts, greyish-white underparts. Females have paler brown upperparts, with greyish-white underparts.
Silvereye (waxeye) – Average of 9.7 per garden. Sexes similar, small, green with white ring around eye.
Blackbird (female) – Average of 2.7 per garden. Females are dark brown with brown/dull-orange bill. Males are black with an orange bill.
As the sun shines over Ashburton locals don’t need a excuse to spend an hour in the backyard - but helping to record and protect local birds could be a bonus. The annual Landcare Research garden bird survey starts on Starling – Average of 2.6 per gar- Saturday, and Ashburton Forest den. Sexes similar, glossy black and Bird Society are calling for volwith yellow bill in breeding season; unteers willing to spend an hour in non-breeding birds spotted white the backyard next week for a good cause. with dark bill. Ashburton Forest and Bird Chair
Edith Smith said that anyone from young children to the elderly could take part. “It takes just an hour, and it’s not complicated. It’s an opportunity for people to learn what might be about in their own backyards, and it might be that in your immediate sky you spot something rare.” She said that the research could be invaluable for conservation work in New Zealand. “A lot of science starts with just making an observation, and without the material we don’t know what the trends are. Native birds
are obviously of interest, but generally we just want to know what types of birds are found in people’s gardens.” Plenty of resources are available online for individuals, families or schools willing to help with the survey, which can be completed in an hour between Saturday, June 29th to Sunday, July 7. Forms, instructions and tips on identifying birds can be found at the Landcare Research website below: http://gardenbirdsurvey.landcareresearch.co.nz/
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