Relief for most South Waikato ratepayers

South Waikato rates will no longer increase for most as part of the district’s Annual Plan 2020-21.

Despite signalling a 7 per cent rise in the Long Term Plan, the South Waikato District Council has now opted to hold fire.

It is due to the financial pressure the Covid-19 lockdown put on many ratepayers, and following many other councils throughout the country doing the same.

The announcement follows public consultation and the adoption of the Annual Plan last Thursday.

But in doing so the council has been forced to delay its roll out of wheelie bins until July next year as well cutting back funding of the three waters asset replacement reserves for a period of one year.

Several significant projects, such as the refurbishment of the Tı¯rau i-SITE and Putaruru growth work, have also had to be scaled back.

Chief executive Ben Smit said the zero per cent rate revenue increase means the council will not collect any more total rates than it did in the 2019-20 year.

‘‘This does not mean that every ratepayer won’t have an increase in rates as individual properties have a different mix of services and situations,’’ he said.

He said the vast majority will see a small decrease in rates, more than 7800 properties, while 2100 properties will see a mostly moderate increase.

‘‘Essentially 95 per cent of properties have changes between -3 per cent to +4.7 per cent, with 98 per cent of properties having changes between -12.5 per cent to +7.4 per cent,’’ he said.

Around 2 per cent of properties will have larger rate increases. These generally relate to property changes such as new subdivisions, new buildings and signing up to a clean heat programme.

Mayor Jenny Shattock said the council was working on a Covid-19 recovery plan.

‘‘This plan enables the council to be responsive in order to support our community as required during the coming times.’’

Several other smaller decisions were also made including making funding for recycling more equitable across all ratepayers, and offering more Amisfield and Baird Rd residents recycling as well as rubbish collections.