New Plymouth District Council announces new projects and rate increase

The New Plymouth District Council has worked with police to install five new CCTV cameras around the central city. Photo / Unsplash

New Plymouth District Council has announced its new projects, including a multimillion-dollar upgrade for the Downtown Carpark, increased security and an increase in rate costs.

The council has announced a $5 million upgrade to strengthen the Downtown Carpark in the city so it can reopen for business, shoppers and central-city workers.

This will bring the carpark up to the earthquake building code and it's likely to be completed in 2024.

As well as strengthening the carpark, the council has worked with police to make the city safe.

More CCTV cameras will be placed in the central city, with antisocial behaviour increasing at East End Reserve and Hobson St ("Pig Out Point"), including threats to children, stolen vehicles and drunken behaviour.

Five cameras will be installed in those areas to increase public safety in tandem with the police.

The council has also announced the residential rate has risen 5.5 per cent.

New Plymouth District Mayor Neil Holdom and councillors have approved the draft budgets for the work programme over the next year (July 1, 2022- June 30, 2023).

The average household rate rise is 5.5 per cent or about $2.80a week, which is below the present rate of inflation.