Roading’s rates link

Cuts to funding from the national transport agency may drive holes through Wairarapa roading programmes and raise rates.

The New Zealand Transport Agency [NZTA] told councils last week that it would not be putting as much towards their transport plans as they might have hoped.

The news hit district council inboxes last month, after the deadline councils set their ratepayers to send opinions on council long-term plans.

In Masterton, the loans needed to cover the drop could see budgets jump by $75,000 from 2022, adding about 0.25 per cent to the average rates bill.

Indicative funding for the next three years from the National Land Transport Fund would be about 80 per cent of Masterton District Council’s [MDC] $36.6 million bid, a reduction of $7m.

NZTA contributions represent a subsidy of about 57 per cent of work done over the next three years in Masterton, said Kaine Jaquiery, MDC’S roading services manager.

Jacquiery said the council’s recent decision to defer revamp work on the town centre from its long-term plan reduced the programme by $2m.

“Regarding the remaining $5m, rather than reduce expenditure, and the level of service, on roads, footpaths,

councillors voted to fund the shortfall from a mix of loans and increased funding from depreciation reserves for parts of the road renewal programme, including footpaths.”

In South Wairarapa, the district council bid for $13.1m and $1.7m, respectively, from

NZTA’S local and purpose roads budgets.

The funding was based on a work programme for which NZTA revised the programme dollar amounts.

It will receive $11.9m, creating a shortfall of 9 per cent, or almost $1.2m over three years

special for local roads.

The bid for special purpose road funding was reduced to $1.5million, a shortfall of eight per cent, or $137,000 over three years.

Most of South Wairarapa District Council’s [SWDC] special purpose funding is devoted to repairs of its scenic, weather-beaten road to Cape Palliser.

As a result, SWDC revise its roading programme accordingly.

The district had already signalled an intention to halt its rural road sealing programme. That would cut $400,000 per year from council budgets but did not sit well with some residents.

Last week, homeowners in Ruakokoputuna valley, near Martinborough, urged SWDC to reconsider its plans.

Carterton has the shortest road network of Wairarapa’s districts, about 450km, compared to more than 800km in Masterton and close to 700km in South Wairarapa.

NZTA told Carterton District Council [CDC] to expect $10.1m of the $10.5m it requested.

“This is a decrease in what is an increased funding allowance, so it has some, but a small impact on our planned three-year capital expenditure programme,” said Dave Gittings, infrastructure, services, and regulatory manager at CDC. will work