20 Jun 2012

Kaikoura council $20m spending plan under scrutiny

6:15 am on 20 June 2012

Local Government Minister David Carter wants to see a cost benefit analysis for two major projects being proposed by Kaikoura District Council that have been criticised for being too expensive.

The council is one of the smallest in the country but it is proposing that $20 million be spent on an aquatic centre and new civic offices.

It is planning to raise rates, including a one-off 9% increase in 2014, to pay for the projects.

Mr Carter says the council needs to prove it is not being overly optimistic about the number of visitors the aquatic centre is likely to get.