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The proposed Regional Events Centre would be at Okara Park.
At an extraordinary Council meeting held in Whangarei today (Weds 31 May), Regional Councillors agreed this year’s rates should include a portion to help part-fund the proposed Okara Park-based facility.
The events centre concept has been devised by the Northland Rugby Union, but is also being supported by the Northland Regional and Whangarei District Councils.
The Regional Council - as proposed in the Regional Council’s Draft Northland Community Plan 2006-2016’ – will charge ratepayers in the Far North and Kaipara Districts $5.63 (incl GST) annually towards the events centre and those in the Whangarei District $33.75 (incl GST). The annual charge in the Whangarei District will fall to $28.13 after three years.
Today’s vote came after the Whangarei District Council (WDC) yesterday made decisions satisfying wider Regional Council concerns over liability for any ongoing operating shortfalls from the proposed centre and confirmation the WDC will form an independent trust to own and manage the facility.
Regional Councillors have also recently considered public comments on the events centre as part of their deliberations on the Draft Northland Community Plan.
The full Draft Plan – with a raft of amendments taking into account a number of issues raised by the public during the submission process - is not expected to be formally confirmed until a Council meeting on Wednesday 14 June.
However, Regional Council Chairman Mark Farnsworth says today’s decision effectively confirms that 2006/07 rates bills will include charges for the events centre.
Voting for the proposed events centre charges were Chairman Mark Farnsworth, his Deputy, Peter Jensen and Councillors Craig Brown, Jim Peters and Stan Semenoff. Against were Councillors Bill Rossiter and Ian Walker. Cr Lorraine Hill was absent from today’s meeting.
Regional Councillors also today agreed to work with the WDC and other groups to try to develop additional funding avenues that could reduce future ratepayer contributions towards the events centre.
Another of the decisions made by the Whangarei District Council yesterday was that in the event the trust set up to manage the facility failed, the District Council would “take responsibility of the events centre ownership”.
Regional Councillors agreed today that should that occur, the Regional Council would take steps to protect the funding investment Far North and Kaipara ratepayers will have made in the Whangarei-based facility.