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Tenderscalled forsurplus buildings<br />
Council is calling fortendersfrom<br />
people, groupsorbusinesses<br />
interestedinbuying surplus<br />
relocatable buildings, including the<br />
former temporaryCouncil Chamber<br />
on Havelock Street.<br />
The temporarychamber,the Council staff<br />
tearoom and 10 garagesassociatedwith<br />
the old civic building at 5Baring Square<br />
Westare up fortender,along with three<br />
relocatable classrooms at theold Polytech<br />
on Cameron Street.<br />
At the same time, Council is lookingfor<br />
arealestate agent to sell the former<br />
three-storeycivic building and land, which<br />
consists of four separatetitles, with atotal<br />
land area of 5059squaremetres.<br />
Chief ExecutiveHamish Riachsaid<br />
Councillorshad approvedthe tender<br />
process to sell the relocatable buildings<br />
and adeadline sale process forthe<br />
former civic administration building and<br />
surrounding land.<br />
“The moneyraised will help offsetthe cost<br />
of building Te WhareWhakatere at Baring<br />
SquareEast.”<br />
Mr Riach said the tender processfor the<br />
surplus relocatable accessory buildings<br />
should encourageawide rangeofinterest.<br />
“The successful tendererswillultimately<br />
be decided by Councillors, so thatmeans<br />
acommunity group hoping to useone of<br />
the buildings foragood cause will haveas<br />
much opportunity as abusinesswanting<br />
it foracommercial purpose. Both will<br />
be able to makeacase forwhy their bid<br />
shouldbeselected.<br />
“Council will then reviewthe offersmade<br />
and makeadecision.”<br />
Tendererscan submit atender forone or<br />
morebuildings, and successful tenderers<br />
will enter intoanagreement with Council,<br />
setting out the terms of the purchase<br />
and removal. The tender document<br />
asks if the buildings will be purchased<br />
forcommercial, personal or community<br />
use, and to outline howthe proposed use<br />
benefitsthe community.<br />
The tender documentsfor the relocatable<br />
buildings areonCouncil’swebsite, with a<br />
closing deadline of 12pm on 23 August. It<br />
Threshold increases forratesrebates<br />
Low-income households are<br />
being encouraged to apply fora<br />
ratesrebate after increases to the<br />
qualifying threshold came into<br />
effectatthe start of <strong>July</strong>.<br />
The RatesRebate Scheme is run by<br />
Government and applications are<br />
processed by <strong>Ashburton</strong> DistrictCouncil<br />
staff.From1<strong>July</strong>,the maximum rebate<br />
increased from $750 to $790 andthe<br />
income abatement threshold rose from<br />
$30,100 to $31,510.<br />
Council’sBusiness Support Group<br />
Manager Leanne Macdonald said<br />
the changes would help low-income<br />
homeowners, including superannuitants<br />
and those on supported living benefits.<br />
“The levelofratesrefund willalso depend<br />
1<br />
2<br />
is hoped thatall the buildings and land will<br />
be sold by the end of the year.<br />
Real estate agencies interestedinselling<br />
the former administration building and<br />
land need to go to Council’stender portal<br />
to access the requestfor proposal (RFP)<br />
documentation. Agencies willneed<br />
to provide relevant information and<br />
experienceby7August, and asuccessful<br />
agencywill then be selectedfollowing the<br />
tender evaluation process.<br />
The propertywould ideally be on the<br />
market by mid-September withadeadline<br />
sale end date in November.<br />
Other details of the surplus relocatable<br />
buildings:<br />
1. The former temporaryCouncil<br />
chambersand civil defenceoffice was<br />
on whether thereare dependants living<br />
in the household, so if you’re notsureif<br />
youqualify,please getintouch withour<br />
Customer Services team.”<br />
In the2023-24 financial year,Council<br />
processed 1023 residential rate rebates<br />
to the value of $678,692.12, aswell as 76<br />
retirement villagerebatesof$51,199.42.<br />
Homeownershavetoapply each year.<br />
MrsMacdonald said people having<br />
difficultypaying their rateswerestrongly<br />
encouraged to talk to Council beforeit<br />
became aproblem. “Staffare morethan<br />
happytohelp ratepayers enterintoan<br />
agreed payment plan to spreadthe cost of<br />
their ratesoverthe year."<br />
Thereisaratespostponement scheme for<br />
homeowners65and over, givingthem the<br />
option of postponing payment fortheir<br />
3<br />
4<br />
built by Des Millar Construction in 2018<br />
and is 208 squaremetres. Chattels<br />
include heat pumps, floor coverings,<br />
blindsand awaterheater.<br />
2. The 10 garagesare able to be relocated<br />
in pairsand haveatotal area of 282<br />
squaremetres.<br />
3. The former staff tearoom is 104 square<br />
metres and includes heat pumps,a<br />
ceramic cook top, oven, hotwater<br />
cylinder,steriliser,floor coverings,<br />
blinds, aboiling waterunit and<br />
extractorfan.<br />
4. The three prefabs at 258 Cameron<br />
Street,onthe old Polytech site)are<br />
approximately 352 squaremetres<br />
collectively,and include acovered<br />
connecting walkway.<br />
estate to take care of.<br />
Ratesremission is also possible forsome<br />
not-for-profit or sportsorganisations.<br />
Ratepayers who ownone or more<br />
properties withashared boundaryand<br />
use them jointly as asingle unit may also<br />
be able to apply fortheir ratestohave<br />
“contiguous”status. Common examples<br />
include ahouse withalarge garden, or<br />
farming land all used forthe same farm.<br />
On acontiguous property, Council will<br />
apply the sameratesthatwouldhave<br />
applied if theyhad been ratedasasingle<br />
unit.For example, the UniformAnnual<br />
General Charge would only be charged<br />
onceonthe main rating unit.<br />
Information and applicationsforms are<br />
available on Council’swebsite.<br />
COUNCILMEETINGS<br />
Meetings areatHine Paaka(Council<br />
Chambers), 2Baring SquareEast,<br />
unless specified.<br />
Meeting agendas areonline at<br />
ashburtondc.govt.nz/council/<br />
agendas-and-minutes<br />
<strong>Ashburton</strong> WaterZone Committee,<br />
Tuesday 23 <strong>July</strong>,1pm (live-streamed)<br />
Methven Community Board, Monday 29<br />
<strong>July</strong>,9am, Mt HuttMemorial Hall<br />
CouncilActivityBriefings, Wednesday<br />
31 <strong>July</strong>,9.30am<br />
Audit &Risk Committee, Wednesday 31<br />
<strong>July</strong>,1pm (live-streamed)<br />
WORKSNOTICES<br />
Walnut Avenue -Kerb and channel<br />
renewalfromOak Grove to WestStreet.<br />
Traffic should notbeaffected,but watch<br />
fortemporarychanges.<br />
GraceIreland Drive, Methven -Closed<br />
forsubdivision developmentuntil 31<br />
August.<br />
Full closuredetails on our website<br />
ashburtondc.govt.nz<br />
BURTY CHALLENGE<br />
Lookingfor something to do with the<br />
kids during the school holidays?Havea<br />
go at our mid-winter Burty Challenge.<br />
Grab achallenge card from any Council<br />
facilityand do the tasks -you canearn a<br />
free swim at EA NetworksCentreand go<br />
intothe draw to win aprize!<br />
ROAD CLOSURE<br />
William Street,between BurnettStreet<br />
andTancredStreet, will be closed<br />
from Monday 22 <strong>July</strong> to Friday 25 <strong>July</strong>,<br />
forwork associatedwith wastewater<br />
renewals.<br />
Detourswill be in placebut access for<br />
residents remains.<br />
FREEICESCRAPERS<br />
Need oneofthese?Pickupafreeice<br />
scraper from our Customer Services team<br />
so your windscreen canbefrost-free!<br />
COUNCIL OFFICE<br />
2Baring SquareEast<br />
Mon, Tue, Wed &Fri 8.30am-5pm<br />
Thursday 9am-5pm<br />
ASHBURTONLIBRARY<br />
2Baring SquareEast, <strong>Ashburton</strong> 7700<br />
Mon &Fri 8.30am-6pm, Tue-Thu 8.30am-8pm<br />
Sat&Sun 10am-4pm<br />
EA NETWORKSCENTRE<br />
20 River Terrace<br />
Mon -Fri 6am-9pm (pools 7pm, gym8pm)<br />
Sat&Sun 7am-7pm (pools 5pm, gym6pm)<br />
ASHBURTON ART<br />
GALLERY &MUSEUM<br />
327 West Street<br />
10am-4pm daily (late night Wed)<br />
ashburtondc.govt.nz Thursday,<strong>11</strong><strong>July</strong> <strong>2024</strong> |ISSUE 187<br />
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