Five candidates talk rates, vision

Following last week’s profile on Upper Hutt’s two mayoral contenders The Leader today begins its coverage of city council candidates.

With 20 residents nominated there will be healthy competition for the for the 10 councillor positions available for the 2016-19 local government term.

From today, and for the following three weeks, The Leader will profile five candidates, with the order having been randomly decided.

Each week we will ask the five featured candidates a specific question. Today we asked what the candidates, which today includes two incumbents in Dave Wheeler and Angela McLeod, what they think annual residential rates rises should be and why.

Despite there being many areas of policy and governance our elected representatives are involved in, rates remain a major issues and one of the most controversial. The annual per centage increase in rates is followed closely as it is a cost which is always of significance to home owners.

The issue received strong interest on Neighbourly where we have asked users several questions about issues likely to come up this election season.

The rates rise for the 2016/17 year was set by council in June at an average 4.39 per cent for home-owners, significantly up on the previous year’s 2.87 per cent rise.