By CLAIRE HAREN - The Timaru Herald

Timaru district councillors yesterday took their "no-frills" budget and shaved off a bit more.

When councillors began budget discussions yesterday, the projected rise in the rate take was at 5.95 per cent, plus $145 extra for all residents who get the new three-bin recycling system.

But by the end of the day, they'd managed to prune that down to 5.14 per cent, give Winchester residents a reduction of nearly $200 in their water charge, and introduce a new system of differentials to lessen the impact of last year's revaluation of the district.

Cutting the rate rise back was helped mostly by a decision to push the North Street overbridge project out a year, which saved around $100,000 in rates.

The council introduced a uniform water charge of $174 for all the urban water supplies across the district, replacing the separate rates for each supply.

That decision brings water supplies into line with the district-wide sewer rate and refuse collection rate.

The biggest winners of that decision are Winchester residents, who will save $189 on their water rate, as it drops from the current $363 to the uniform $174.

Pleasant Point residents will save $71, Temuka $17 and Geraldine $91. Timaru's is the only one to increase, from the current $161 to $174.

The uniform annual general charge was increased by $10, as per the council's policy, and a new formula of differentials adopted, to ensure the same proportion of rates was collected from each sector, despite the swings and roundabouts of last year's revaluation.

The new differentials are: Commercial/industrial 1.4; primary 0.09; residential/ recreational 0.25; multi-unit residential 0.46.

The budget and long-term council plan will go to Audit New Zealand for an opinion before being adopted by the council on April 19 and then put out for public consultation.