Big rates hike planned for SDC residents
The Southland District Council plans to impose a 7.59 per cent rates increase on its residents – more than double what was earlier indicated – and it will come as a shock for people living in the district, a councillor says.
Councillor John Douglas revealed the figure at a council meeting on Monday.
‘‘We have got all these projects which have come up since the long term plan which have resulted in higher rates increases,’’ Douglas said.
‘‘It’s a quite significant rate increase from what was in the plan to what it is now – from 3.27 up to 7.59 [per cent].
He said it was a significant variation so questioned why the council was not consulting with the public.
A council staffer told Douglas the increase was made up of projects the council had already consulted on or had made decisions on through unbudgeted expenditure.
Douglas said the council needed to sell the story there were infrastructure deficits leading to the increases.
‘‘But they are still going to get a shock and we need to prepare them for that.’’
Mayor Gary Tong said the ratepayers would be advised of the extent of the rate and the reasons why.
He said the council was now indicating there was going to be a significant rates increase but it was based on projects that would keep communities going, including at Stewart Island, three waters, wastewater projects and bridges.
All the projects had been discussed over the last 12-18 months and a considerable number of ratepayers had indicated they were important during the consultation process, Tong said. Councillor Karyn Owen said there was a feeling from a lot of people that the council consulted with the public but did not listen to the feedback.
She asked that the rates increase be communicated in way that the projects had already been decided on in the long term plan.
Cr Paul Duffy said he understood how the council had reached the rates figure but ‘‘cynical people’’ would say ‘‘the year after the election we put rates up by that’’.
Tong said: ‘‘I am hearing what Cr Duffy is saying, the rates increases straight after the election, but we have been talking about this a considerable number of years.’’