Rates for 2020/21
In 2020/21 our property rates increased an average of 2.6 percent across the district, to cover the cost of providing our services and facilities, and continue working on the priorities from the 2018–38 Long-term Plan.
Reasons for 2020/21 increase
The main reasons for the 2020/21 rates increase were:
- the work agreed in the 2018–38 Long-term Plan
- changes in our operating environment, including:
- new central government requirements (such as proposed new requirements and regulations as part of the Drinking Water & Safety resilience programme)
- increased costs of managing assets.
Extra COVID-19-related funding has also been included, to support ratepayers and businesses affected financially by COVID-19 and Council's Recovery Plan actions. You can find out more in the 2020/21 Annual Plan and the Rates resolution 2020/21.
While we have the fourth-lowest total operating spending per ratepayer out of 67 councils, we rely mainly on rates to fund and maintain our services, and cover the costs of inflation. Other councils may have other revenue streams to find their services, such as income from a council-owned port.
Some of our costs – including the cost of infrastructure such as roads – are going up faster than household inflation.
Average rates vs individual property rates
While the average property rate increase for 2020/21 is 2.6 percent, rate assessments for each property is driven by their land and capital value. Approximately 52 percent of rates are allocated on property value, which means higher valued properties will have higher rates.