March 12 2024
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Councillors call for rates rethink u by Andy Bryenton
The mood around the council table last Wednesday, when elected members met in Ruawai, was one of determination to adjust Kaipara’s projected 18% average rates increase downward.
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p “The best way to get more submission on our plan is to make it a bit edgy,” said councillor Mark Vincent, encouraging spirited public discourse on rates and the LTP
“Eighteen per cent just isn’t going to work for me,” said councillor Rachael Williams, summing up the consensus around the table as projected figures for the Kaipara District Council’s forthcoming Long Term Plan were discussed. “We’re facing a real conundrum,” said councillor Howard. “There has not been a rates increase of this magnitude proposed before.” “We have a duty to our ratepayers in general to have an affordable increase,” agreed councillor Paniora. A detailed analysis of projected rates increases for different localities across the district was up for discussion, too, with
councillors urging the need to ensure that any increases were fair and equitable for town and country. The question of targeted rates occasioned spirited debate on how they could contribute to anomalies, such as the projected 40% or more increase for certain Dargaville properties. “This rates increase is going to be hard on people with fixed incomes,” said councillor Nayyar, suggesting a lower firstyear rise. Mayor Jepson also looked to the future, expressing the opinion that the government would soon move on the affordable waters issue and that aid to council infrastructure could form part of
Shane Jones’s sequel to the Provincial Growth Fund. Ultimately, all councillors expressed a desire for the 18% average rates increase to be brought down. Further savings and economies may ensure that four per cent more can be pared off this figure, but this is now in the hands of council staff, who will prepare new calculations in time for the KDC general meeting at the end of March. Decisions on rates levels are fundamentally linked to the council’s new three-year Long Term Plan, which should be out for public consultation in April. ¢
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