Council issues apology to churches
Auckland Council has apologised for what one councillor is calling ‘‘appalling’’ treatment of the region’s churches.
Religious leaders yesterday ripped into the council’s controversial, and ‘‘badly flawed’’, move to rate church properties, which saw one church’s rates bill increase from $400 to $21,000.
An Auckland Council review – to investigate which religious properties were using their premises for revenue, such as hall hire and car parking – began in 2016. Religious properties could only be exempt from rates if the land was used for worship, theological training or education.
The outcome was an increase in rates for religious properties from $2.3 million to $3.6m.
Auckland Council officers have admitted letters sent to churches asking how their properties were used ‘‘may not have reached the appropriate contact’’.
The matter was debated at Auckland Council’s finance and performance committee meeting yesterday.
Councillor Efeso Collins said the way the council had dealt with churches was ‘‘pretty much appalling’’.
‘‘I think we’ve failed in that area,’’ he said.
Elim Christian Centre’s John Roberts said his church responded to a council survey by saying it was used totally for church purposes. Elim’s rates bill skyrocketed anyway.
‘‘A few months ago, we received our annual rates assessment, which had increased from the $400 rubbish collection charge to $21,000,’’ Roberts said.
‘‘That caused a bit of a shock – no explanation, no valuer had been to visit, no consultation, just a new policy and a massive bill.
‘‘Thankfully, as a result of assistance from members from this committee and others, a valuer was fairly quickly dispatched to check the church property, resulting in the rates being reassessed back down to the $400 rubbish charge.’’
The council’s actions were a
‘‘clear attempt to chip away at the rating exemption given to churches by parliament’’, Roberts added.
‘‘It’s left us with a severely shaken trust in council’s systems and a high level of suspicion about what council’s real intentions are.’’
Some churches have previously told Stuff rates hikes could force them to cut community services.
‘‘A lot of churches are doing their best on very limited budgets and a big rates bill will put stress on their services. Some may have to pull back on the services they provide,’’ Gate Church pastor Joseph Fa’afiu said.
Gate Church’s rates bill jumped from about $200 to $1500.
Councillors voted to pass an apology from Auckland Council and council staff, acknowledging its engagement with religious organisations had been unsatisfactory.
They also voted to defer rates increases until the 2019 to 2020 financial year, except where the increases were clearly caused by rating commercial activities.
The council’s review resulted in an increase in rates for the properties in questions of $1.3 million – from $2.3m to $3.6m.
In total, 241 properties got a rates decrease and 542 experienced an increase. Of these, 305 of these received an increase of more than $1000.