Library cuts means tattier books

One way the Wanganui District Library plans to deal with a five percent cut in its operational budget is by reducing how quickly books are replaced, Wanganui District Council was told yesterday.
With council supporting the across the board cut in operating expenditure, managers outlined their plans to achieve the cuts in their 2005-06 budgets. These will be included in the draft annual plan before it goes out for public consultation.
Deputy chief executive Ian McGowan said about $50,000 would be taken off the $330,000 additions to book stock budget. Books would stay on shelves a bit longer and get tattier.
Library manager Sally Patrick said staff were already stretched at the front line with seven day a week opening and she would be loath to drop service levels. Therefore she was left to focus on infrastructure, including stock renewals.
Mayor Michael Laws suggested investigation of a donate a book scheme.
i-Site Wanganui Visitor Centre manager Tony Cato defended the $7000 proposed to be spent on maintaining a Wanganui stand at the Bulls Information Centre.
He had always felt a presence on SH1 was very useful to Wanganui. It was not expected people would instantly change their direction of travel and come to the River City after stopping at the centre. Rather, it was more about creating a consciousness about Wanganui.
The stand and staff being able to answer questions on Wanganui was $7000 "reasonably well spent" and he would be disappointed if it went.
Mr Laws and Cr Rangi Wills favoured the money being spent on a sign on SH1. Mr Cato said this would be equally of value. "I'm a flexible sort of a guy, but I'm still going to stand up for this (information stand)."
Council agreed the $20,000 for the tram project remain in the draft 2005-06 budget and the issue be addressed next year as part of the long-term council community plan review. Emergency manager Max Benseman said his savings would come from cutting spending on a software program. He had also expected a community contract application from the Red Cross, which hadn't eventuated, and had been able to negotiate a reduction in cost for some river gauges.
Mr Benseman said he prefer not to have to cut the software program upgrade as if there was an overload of data, relying on a totally paper based system was thwart with difficulties.
Recreation and culture manager Keith Hindson said $100,000 would be cut from the tree maintenance budget with a focus on power line clearance work. This would defer maintenance and there would likely be an increase in complaints from residents not able to have trees outside their property trimmed.
Roading manager John Jones said money could be saved by deferring culvert work at Wikitoria Rd or by cutting some money from the area wide pavement treatment budget (sealing of roads). However, it was cheaper to do this smoothing work now and deferring it would set up a bow wave in maintenance costs.
Council will continue going through activity budgets today, starting at the earlier time of 1pm. On April 26 it will then adopt the draft annual plan, allowing just the statutory minimum of four weeks for the public to make submissions.
Cr Don McGregor asked for the draft plan to clearly show the effects of cuts in the different budgets.
He thought most people would far rather have a modest increase in rates and keep the same level of service. Chief executive Colin Whitlock did not thing the budget cuts would impact on the levels of service outlined in the LTCCP.