At the extraordinary meeting, on Wednesday 20 March, Kawerau District Council resolved to adopt the proposed budget for the coming year, which comprises an overall rates increase of 15.1 percent that maintains services at the current levels. 

The increases for properties will vary depending on the individual value of residential, commercial, and industrial properties. To smooth the rates, increase, council proposed increasing the uniform annual general charge (UAGC) from $850 to $950 in 2024-2025. 

The significant drivers for the proposed 15.1 percent rates increase overall include: 

• Increasing personnel costs due to inflationary costs and the tight labour market. Additional staff are budgeted for within governance support, engineering, policy planning, solid waste, and finance administration. 

• Depreciation expenditure of $4,345,100 for the coming year is an increase of $371,890 on last year. Council plans to prudently increase the levels of depreciation funded for strategic assets to 70 percent in 2024-2025.  

• Increasing finance costs on the loans to fund the drinking water pipe replacements of $217,500. 

• Council plans to borrow another $2m in 2024-2025 to fund the next planned stage of the drinking water pipe replacements giving a total debt of $6m by June 2025. 

• Higher inflationary pressures and resource availability driving higher operational costs across water maintenance, refuse cartage and disposal, insurance, civil defence costs, election expenses and electricity. 

• Reduction of government subsidies to fund the spatial plan development costs contributes an additional $120,000 along with a reduction of interest income. 

12 April 1:30pm - Grey Power Kawerau, Concert Chamber, Ranfurly Court  

16 April 10am-11:30am - ‘Drop In’ public session at Rangi Delamere Centre 

18 April 5:15pm - Public Meeting, Concert Chamber  

23 April 10am - Public Meeting, Rautahi Marae  

9 May 10am-11:30pm - ‘Drop In’ public session at the Kawerau Markets, Circus Paddock 

At an Extraordinary Meeting on Wednesday March 20, Council agreed to proceed with the transitional option of preparing an annual plan for the coming 2024-2025 year. 

This means Kawerau will prepare a long-term plan over a nine-year term from 2025 to 2034. 

Council believes the decision to continue with the option of an enhanced annual plan provides the district with the lowest risk option after the new coalition government enacted the Water Services Acts Repeal Act 2024 in February. This legislative change will replace the former Three Waters’ reform legislation with the Local Water Done Well legislation. 

At the Extraordinary Council Meeting, Kawerau District Council also resolved to adopt the proposed budget for the coming year, which comprises an overall rates increase of 15.1 percent that maintains services at the current levels.  

The increases for properties will vary depending on the individual value of residential, commercial, and industrial properties. To smooth the rates increase, council proposed increasing the uniform annual general charge (UAGC) from $850 to $950 in 2024-2025.  

The consultation document will be delivered to all residents and non-resident ratepayers around mid-April. Please keep an eye out for public meetings so you can attend and have your say. A hearing for submitters to talk to elected members will be held on Wednesday, May 22. 

From Friday,12 April, 2024 to 5pm, Tuesday, 14 May, 2024

Please note the submission period closes 5pm Tuesday, 14 May 2024. If you would like to use the forms available to make a submission please print it of or fill it out online and email it to Council. Alternatively you can write your own submission without using the form and submit it using one of the mediums below. 

You can make a submission by:

Email submissions@kaweraudc.govt.nz

Via our website www.kaweraudc.govt.nz

Via our Facebook Messenger or

Drop your submission to the Council Office, isite or library.

If you would like to use one of our submission forms please use one of the links below:

• Submission Form Printable 
• Submission Form Fillable 

We encourage people to put in a submission if they believe there are better ways to offer services; or where there may be services that Council could reduce. Let us know what you think and the background reasons behind this. 

The more ratepayers - residential and/or commercial and industrial does mean more that the total amount of rates are spread across a greater number.

Although the numbers of ratepayers has increased in Kawerau, there has been increases across many areas (inflation rises have driven up prices across fuel, electricity, steel, timber and personnel costs for example).

Currently, the rates share remains at 52:48 with the industry and commercial sector having the greater 52% share. This does mean that commercial/industrial ratepayers pay a larger share of the rates.  

The engagement process has only just begun, but there has been some concern raised by both residents and an industrial organisation. 

Council cannot speak for BOPRC and suggest that people contact their Regional Councillor to ask that question. BOPRC rates are charged once a year in October.

The decision to rate separately from the district council's and Kawerau does not have input into this decision. It does mean that Kawerau will no longer receive the $70,000 payment for collecting the rates on behalf of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council. Queries about BOPRC rates can be directed to the regional council. 

Yes, a percentage of the rates will go towards paying off the water pipe replacement loan. In 2025, Council will borrow another $2 million instalment bringing the total amount borrowed to $6 million.