They tried to slash your rates rise. They saved just $8.50! | Wairarapa News | Local News in Wairarapa

Library services, archives and the events budget will be cut in a late slash-and-burn exercise by councillors to save an average $8.50 from your rates bill.
Twenty items have hit the chopping room floor in Masterton District Council's 11th-hour bid to hack back a 9 per cent rates rise _ 6 per cent of which is made up of a massive sewerage upgrade.
Councillors took part in a three-hour workshop on Wednesday morning, ahead of an evening meeting where $124,000 savings had been identified which will cut just 0.6 per cent, or $8.50, from the expected increase for the average urban household.
While Mayor Garry Daniel and councillors were patting themselves on the back last night, $27,000 was from a contract renegotiation that could not be guaranteed until September; $22,000 from a joint insurance deal that was already on the cards; $9000 from an accounting error; and $3000 from a previous contract negotiation.
Finance officer David Paris also said it had not been worked out how some savings, such as libraries, archives and council printing and stationery, would be achieved.
Cr Judith Callaghan said many of the cuts were not a done deal and she criticised councillors for grandstanding over last-minute savings.
She said the events budget was already stretched and, as a library lover, she was opposed to any cut to the library.
The savings fell short of a target of $600,000, or 3 per cent, that the council had aimed to reduce after a challenge last week.
Cr Brent Goodwin said he was disappointed the full target had not been met but pleased savings had been made.
He said many of the reductions, such as those to library and archives services, would be barely noticeable.
''I don't think there's a person in Masterton who would detect them if you didn't tell them.''