Council: No new library for at least three more years

September 20th, 2014
[by David Armstrong]

Stuck with this for years to come?

Tasman District Council has put the Motueka Library redevelopment on hold for at least another three years, and possibly much longer.

At Thursday's full Council meeting all councillors bar four voted to decline the request of the Motueka Community Board to re-institute the library working party and instead defer consideration of the project into "sometime in the middle of the ten year period" covered by the 2015 - 2025 Long Term Plan.

The four councillors who supported having a working party to get on with the planning now were Crs Peter Canton and Jack Inglis (Motueka), Cr Judene Edgar (Richmond) and Cr Martine Bouillir (Golden Bay). Cr Barry Dowler was not present at the meeting.

--> Funding of $1,076,410 for the proposed Motueka Library redevelopment was included in the Long Term Plan (LTP) 2 in the 2013/2014 year. During the Annual Plan 2013/2014 process Council decided to move the Motueka Library upgrade to the 2014/2015 year, to enable alternative sites and options to be further investigated.

During the Annual Plan 2014/2015 process Council decided to defer the Motueka Library project for consideration through the Long Term Plan 2 and agreed that $76,000 of the budget be retained in the final Annual Plan for seismic strengthening and minor improvements to the library building.

The report put to Council on Thursday by Community Development manager Susan Edwards said that at recent Long Term Plan 2 (LTP) workshops councillors discussed options for the Motueka Library.

"There were mixed views on the project and what could be included in the Long Term Plan Consultation Document. Overall there appeared to be support for a new Library/Service Centre project with an indication that the project is more likely to be programmed sometime in the middle of the ten year period covered by the LTP," she said.

She said adopting the request from the Motueka Community Board "would enable the Motueka Library/Service Centre project to be completed in the 2015/2016 financial year".

"However, it would mean that Council would need to fund the majority of the project, as there would be little time for the community to undertake fundraising to contribute towards construction of the Library/Service Centre. It would lead to an increase in rates and Council's debt."

The other option - to decline the Community Board's request - "would enable consideration of the project through the LTP process".

"It would mean that the Motueka Library would be considered alongside all other projects and services that the Council is considering for inclusion in the LTP.

"It would also enable the affordability of the project to be assessed through the LTP process and for the public to have an opportunity to have input into the decision making process."

She said getting the working party going again would risk alienating people working toward the project "when the timing of any Library project may still be some time away".

She added that the key risks with making this decision include:

The expectations of the Motueka community that they will be getting a new Library in the near future and the concern within the community at the lack of progress on the project;
The potential to undermine the LTP process by making decisions now that compromise the upcoming public consultation processes; and
The risk to Council's financial strategy, if Council was to make a decision now that commits it to additional expenditure and debt without the opportunity to consider our overall proposed expenditure and financial position.

At its meeting on 30th May 2014 Council considered a report on the options for the Motueka Library, which outlined that the Decks Reserve Library/Service Centre proposal was estimated to cost $3.75 million (partly offset by the sale of the existing Service Centre).

"The financial implications of any decision to accept the Board's request would mean a budget of approximately this amount would need to be included in the LTP in the 2015/2016 financial year," Susan said.

"In my view the decision to accept the request of the Motueka Community Board is of moderate to high significance due to the expenditure involved in the proposed Library/Service Centre project, the high level of community interest in Motueka on the future of the Motueka Library and the proposed increase in the level of service of the new Library/Service Centre.

"I consider that consultation would be needed with the community before Council could make the decision to include the Library/Service Centre proposal in the LTP.

"The decision not to accept the request of the Board is of low significance overall but will be of high significance to the Board and some members of the Motueka community due to the public interest in the project.

"However, this decision does not preclude the Library/Service Centre proposal being considered and consulted on through the LTP process."

The LTP Consultation Document will go out for public consultation in March 2015, which will enable the public to have input into the discussion on the future of the Library.

An alternative option is for the Community Board and the Motueka community itself to begin the planning and consultation work without formal Council backing.

Comment by Beth Bryant:
[Posted 20 September 2014]

I support the Community board continuing to investigate this project. A library is a hub of the community. This is a country district. Motueka badly needs new a library. Our library is used as much, if not more than, the Richmond library. Look at the contrast! Takaka has a wonderful library too. Both of these libraries have meeting rooms etc. Where is ours?

The money in the wharf fund, which I understand is several million, could be used for this project instead of waiting for some other district to pounce on those dollars.

Comment by Jim Butler:
[Posted 23 September 2014]

Typical of the way TDC has been treating Motueka for many years. They take about $12 million from the Motueka Ward every year in rates and we are lucky if we get half of it back. The remainder stays in Richmond where much of it gets wasted. So if we want something like a larger library, TDC expects Motueka residents, subjected to some of the highest rates in the country, to help fund it out of our own pockets.

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