Rotorua holds rates increase to just 1%

ROTORUA 29.06.10: At just 1% Rotorua District Council (RDC) has this morning signed off one of the lowest council rates increases in the country in adopting its annual plan for 2010/11 at a special council meeting.

Mayor Kevin Winters said the council had made some tough decisions and compromises in formulating the annual plan but had maintained a “steely determination” to keep rates increases to around inflation levels.

“In fact we’ve managed to come in under inflation while at the same time retaining the high quality and range of services our community has come to expect from us.

“We’ve also included funding for activities that will give our local economy a boost as we head down the path of recovery from the global recession.”

Mr Winters said one of the ways the council had been able to avoid the larger rates increases of other cities had been to adjust some ‘user pay’ fees and charges rather than adding cost increases on to general rates. An example of this was an increase in bulk landfill charges from $60 to $80 per tonne of waste, which would encourage higher levels of recycling as well.

“Our annual plan also commits extra funding to boost our local economy, additional marketing funds for attracting more trans-Tasman visitors, a continuation of our programme of lake water quality improvement, and an expansion of recycling services in the district.”

Council chief executive Peter Guerin pointed out that while Rotorua District Council had successfully restricted its own rates increase to just 1%, Rotorua residents would be affected by the regional council’s rate increase of nearly 13% and by central government lifting GST by another 2.5% from October.

“However ratepayers could avoid the extra 2.5% GST and also receive a further 2% rates discount if they paid their full year’s rates by 25 August when the first quarterly installment was due."

Mr Guerin said he was particularly proud of the effort of council staff in preparing budgets this year and in the professional and cooperative relationship that exists between his team and elected members.

"While the council had asked for service levels to be maintained without significantly increasing operational costs, our management and staff had responded to that challenge very effectively.

“As a result Rotorua ratepayers will benefit from some pretty sharp budgeting work and from smarter service delivery processes.”

At this morning’s council meeting to adopt the 2010/11 annual plan Rotorua District Council also adopted a new Waste Management and Minimisation Plan and resolved to delay finalising a new Air Quality Control Bylaw until more information was available from Bay of Plenty Regional Council.

RDC’s newly adopted 2010/11 Annual Plan will be available on the council website www.rdc.govt.nz from Monday [5 July].

ENDS

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