Page 6 - Stuart Bryant News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

Drinking water supplies to rural areas may come with increased costs under a possible new law. Concerns have been raised over the cost and effectiveness of treating drinking water supplies in some rural areas under potential changes signalled in the Water Services Bill. Tasman District Council has outlined those concerns in a submission on the bill, which passed its first reading in December and is now before Parliament’s health select committee. “We believe some of the concerns that we raise in this submission will also be relevant to many other councils in New Zealand, especially tho...

Military chief says operating in area between peace and war could prevent all-out conflict

Cold weather warfare battalion 45 Commando were sent out out on training in northern Norway last month  Training involves building shelters, living off the land and dealing with cold shock during ice breaking drills  During the early phases of the training, the sun barely rises, while temperatures can plummet as low as -30C Commandos have been training in Norway since 1971, to ensure they are ready to be deployed at any moment 

123RF Proposed rate rises of up to 7 per cent a year have received the nod from Tasman District councillors to go out for public consultation next year along with a $60 million increase in the council's net debt cap. Tasman District residents are facing potential annual rate hikes of between 4.5 and 7 per cent over the next 10 years and the mayor says he’s surprised the proposed increases are not higher. The tipped rate and debt cap hikes are due to go out for public submissions next year as part of consultation for the council’s Long Term Plan 2021-31. “I'm actually, I guess, in som...

Martin De Ruyter/Stuff Mayor Tim King, left, and council chief executive Janine Dowding say in the Annual Report that 2019-20 has been a year of change and challenges. The 2019-20 result was also helped by some external factors that moved in the council’s favour including increased revenue from forestry, lower borrowing costs, low inflation and higher-than-anticipated population growth. Net debt of $156.2m is below the council’s self-imposed cap of $200m and almost $35m lower than $191m that had been forecast. Rates revenue for the year was $76m, comprised of $40.3m from general rates ...