Western Bay in prudent mode as rates are set
Council satisfied it has done its best for ratepayers
An average rates increase of 3.92 per cent that is “not to be sneezed at” has been adopted by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council.
During a meeting on Wednesday, WBOP Council adopted its annual plan, user fees and charges and confirmed the rates for 2022-2023.
Councillor Don Thwaites said it was “quite a momentous occasion”.
“It’s an outstanding outcome considering the inflationary pressures everyone’s facing around the country . . .
“An average rates increase of 3.92 is not to be sneezed at.”
Thwaites said the Western Bay of Plenty residents who have been “long suffering” would get some relief, with median residential properties facing a 2.65 per cent rates increase and upper quartile just over 3 per cent.
Councillor James Denyer said the rates increase was below the nationwide average and it would bring the council down in the leader table of high-rating councils.
Kaimai Ward councillor Margaret Murray-benge said the lower rates increase was “quite significant” in comparison to Tauranga City Council, which passed a 13.7 per cent increase.
She said Western Bay can “hold its head up high” because as a council, it set a standard of being closer to the people, more effective in decisionmaking and holding costs while providing services.
After the meeting, Mayor Garry Webber said with inflation
It’s an outstanding outcome considering the inflationary pressures everyone’s facing. Don Thwaites
and other pressures facing the community, the council took another look at the projects planned and considered
the community’s most urgent needs.
“We looked at the programme and what we’d planned, and where appropriate, we have made some changes,” Webber said.
“Important projects will still carry on, but as a council, we have worked hard to keep the rate increase for existing ratepayers to 3.92 per cent, below the 4 per cent commitment we made in our long-term plan.”
Projects highlighted in the annual plan include a $1.83 million spend on pensioner housing, with around $1.1m
brought forward to address the current need.
Council will spend $6.3m on wastewater capital works across the district, $1.3m has been earmarked for the Two Mile Creek bank protection in Waih¯ı Beach and $1m will go towards community groups, with another $1m set aside for walking and cycling initiatives.
The annual plan remained largely unchanged from the long-term plan, with the only significant change relating to the future of the Pukehina Development Rate.
For 21 years, ratepayers in Pukehina paid a fee towards a potential wastewater scheme, but with uncertainty around the Three Waters Reform, councillors voted to pause it for two years, after consultation with the community.
Each of the 632 rateable properties in Pukehina have paid a yearly $20 targeted rate, with the balance of the fund currently at $483,500.
Webber said a two-year pause is a sensible approach that will allow for more clarity on the Government’s Three Waters Reform programme.
The 2022-23 Annual Plan came into effect on July 1.
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