Western Bay of Plenty District Council
Rates and revenue
The work of local government is funded mainly by property taxes in the local area, known as rates. This makes up around 60% of council expenditure, with the rest coming from user charges, investment income, regulatory fees and roading subsidies. Councils can also borrow money to spread the cost of large investments such as infrastructure over a longer period of time.
Rates and revenue
The work of local government is funded mainly by property taxes in the local area, known as rates. This makes up around 60% of council expenditure, with the rest coming from user charges, investment income, regulatory fees and roading subsidies. Councils can also borrow money to spread the cost of large investments such as infrastructure over a longer period of time.
Restrain rates increases to below average for at least five years, and no higher than CPI, to sustain mid-range parity and affordability.
Ensure developments fund a fair share of the infrastructure enhancements for their intended users, to minimize impact on existing ratepayers.
Avoid significantly increasing debt to fund projects than can be staged over a longer time horizon, to maintain affordability.
Cut rates by slowing down on project spending (capex) and council living within its means. Stop trying to build everything at the same time.
Ensure that, if Three Waters goes through, rates are reduced to match lost income/costs and not diverted onto new spending ideas.
Return to a path of lower debt and thus interest servicing costs that allows for gradual investment over time.
Review our annual/long-term plan with the intention of not increasing pain for many in difficulty and focus on needs and uncompleted projects.
Provide sound and prudent financial management.
Apply restraint to rate rises and be mindful of affordability.
Review the current rates, acknowledge and recognise financial constraints placed on some in our community.
Review the fees and charges attached to building developments.
Balance the needs of the community and the individual ratepayers by ensuring there is financial discipline and judicious spending.
Monitor borrowings to ensure debt servicing levels are kept under control – especially in inflationary times.
Appoint financially competent personnel to the Performance and Monitoring and Audit and Risk committee.
Restrain rates increases to below average for at least five years, and no higher than CPI, to sustain mid-range parity and affordability.
Ensure developments fund a fair share of the infrastructure enhancements for their intended users, to minimize impact on existing ratepayers.
Avoid significantly increasing debt to fund projects than can be staged over a longer time horizon, to maintain affordability.
Cut rates by slowing down on project spending (capex) and council living within its means. Stop trying to build everything at the same time.
Ensure that, if Three Waters goes through, rates are reduced to match lost income/costs and not diverted onto new spending ideas.
Return to a path of lower debt and thus interest servicing costs that allows for gradual investment over time.
Review our annual/long-term plan with the intention of not increasing pain for many in difficulty and focus on needs and uncompleted projects.
Provide sound and prudent financial management.
Apply restraint to rate rises and be mindful of affordability.
Review the current rates, acknowledge and recognise financial constraints placed on some in our community.
Review the fees and charges attached to building developments.
Balance the needs of the community and the individual ratepayers by ensuring there is financial discipline and judicious spending.
Monitor borrowings to ensure debt servicing levels are kept under control – especially in inflationary times.
Appoint financially competent personnel to the Performance and Monitoring and Audit and Risk committee.
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