Rates

Rates at a glance

Rates are Council's main source of income for providing and maintaining essential servies for residents throughout the District. For this reason Council has budgeted to receive $29.4 million from District-wide rates in 2011/2012.

Our rating system is designed to provide for both District-wide rates and those rates raised for activities specific to localised areas. Localised activities are typically defined by an area of benefit. This generally includes those properties that could benefit from the services being provided.

Council strikes the rates in August each year.

How your rates are assessed

Historically rates have been assessed on the land value of your property. However, with effect from 2009/10, rates are being assessed on a "hybrid'' basis. This means that the rates assessed for roading will be calculated on a land-value basis but the balance of the rates (general rate) will be assessed on the capital value of your property.

When are rates due?

First instalment rates invoices for the year 2011/2012 will be mailed out towards the end of August 2011 with the penalty date being 28 October 2011.

Do I have payment options?

There are several payment options available:

- Direct debit
- Post
- Internet/telephone banking
- In person
- Automatic payments

Contact us for help

If you need more information or have any questions about your rates, or would like to know your balance, please contact our rates team by emailing or calling on 07 571 8008.

Latest information on property revaluations

Property values have taken a tumble in the past three years with properties in the rural and horticultural sector falling more than those in the urban, industrial and commercial areas.

Pay your rates online...

You can now pay your rates online from Council's website using POLi to take you to your own secure internet bank or BNZ Buyline+ for credit card payments.

Rating valuation - orchards affected by PSA

Council undertakes a general revaluation of properties in the District every three years.

The lastest revaluations were undertaken at 1 July 2011.

In between 3-yearly property valuations, Council updates its property improvement value records when we’re informed of significant additions to a property. Most commonly this information automatically comes to Council through the building consents process.

In the case of kiwifruit orchards that have had to cut out vines or remove them below the graft as a result of PSA, Council is seeking information to update its records in time for the 2011/12 rates setting (1 July 2011 – 30 June 2012).

To let us know please fill out this form and get it back to us before 30 June 2012.

It’s important to note that any changes in valuations as a result of PSA are not retrospective and only come into effect from 1 July 2012 for the 2012/13 and future rating years.