Rates

Rates are a property tax.  Rates are invoiced to ratepayers in equal amounts 4 times a year.  The rating year is 1 July to 30 June.  Rates are made up of part uniform or fixed charges for the property, and part as a rate in the dollar, based on the value of your property.  

Rates Newsletter - July 2010 (1.4MB)

Rates Policy - July 2010 (903kb)

What do your rates pay for

On the back of your rate notice is the rates assessment. These are the details of each activity of council.

It is not a shopping list and does not allow an individual ratepayer to pick and choose what they wish to pay for. 

Each property owner's total rates are their contribution towards the running of council.  The activities that you contribute to will vary depending where your property is in the district.

General Rates

These are charged in proportion to the capital value of your property.

Community Services -

Corporate expenses of the district - LAPP (Local Authority Protection Programme) Disaster Fund - risk management for council assets not covered by Government Earthquake Commission protection.

Olympic Pool - The rates contribution to the cost of maintaining the Olympic Pool complex. The Olympic Pool complex also receives fee income from pool entry and other activities at the complex.

Theatres & Halls - These are regarded as a district facility - to encourage and enable the public to experience the performing and visuals arts and provide venues suitable for seminars, weddings and other community activities. 50% of rates come from General Rate and the other 50% of rates funding comes from Uniform Annual General Charge ( UAGC)

District development - this funds administration of the Tairawhiti Development Partnership and major regional initiatives eg. helps promote the district. Wairoa ratepayers also contribute to this.

Regulatory activities - consents - to provide assistance to the public and where possible clarify the problem and then if required identifying the correct officer to provide assessment.

Rivers control - this is a Regional council function. It is the cost of monitoring rivers and surface water on land and the provision of flood control works by control of vegetation on river channels and preventative maintenance over the whole district.

Roading (subsidised) - this charge is not just for the road outside your property, but for the total district-wide roading network. This is funded 60% by Transfund subsidies, 32% by General Rates and the remaining 8% by Uniform Annual General Charge over the whole district.

Roading (non-subsidised) - street cleaning, footpaths, street lighting and seal extensions on roads in the district that are not subsidised by New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA).

Stormwater drainage- contribution towards the cost of collection and disposal of rainwater, paid by every ratepayer in the district. The majority of stormwater costs are paid by targeted rates in Gisborne city and Rural towns.

Treasury - This is the cost of administering our bank accounts, loans and investments and district loan expenses - councils have always funded some capital works by loan and this item covers the interest charges This rate also includes the millennium 2000 rate. This was the special 10-year loan to cover millennium expenses. 50% of the rates come from General Rates and the remaining 50% from Uniform Annual General Charge.

Targeted Rates

These are charges for services or facilities for which you are invoiced only if you live in the area where these rates apply or you receive benefit.

Business area patrols (CBD) - this is the net cost ie. after subsidies received of the 101 patrols in the CBD area of Gisborne city.

Drainage - costs of providing land drainage in designated areas of benefit.

Economic development - covers the costs of preparing for and supporting economic activity throughout the district. This rate is payable by all industrial, commercial and forestry land use properties over the whole district.

Flood control schemes ( Waipaoa, Te Karaka)  - this is the contribution based on Capital Value for the cost of operating flood protection works.

Heart of Gisborne- this is collected on behalf of the Heart of Gisborne Incorporated Society for the purpose of funding the "Heart of Gisborne" town centre management programme and is payable by all non-residential properties in the designated CBD area. 

Pests and Plants - this is a Regional council responsibility to keep nuisance pests and noxious plants under control.  All properties contribute, but farms pay a larger contribution.  This is now rated on land area of a ratepayer's property.

Parks and Reserves - this is the cost of maintaining all the parks, reserves, playing fields, beach access points, etc.

Passenger Transport- the cost of providing a subsidised passenger transport service payable by all residents living in Gisborne city.

Planning - the cost of advising members of the public how council's regulatory requirements affect them and their proposals for the use of the land and the cost of the District Plan and other planning projects and reserve management plans

Rural fires - council has an obligation to tend all fires that are not covered by the NZ Fire Service.

Soil conservation - this is a Regional council function concerned with erosion, land stabilisation and the effective use of land.

Stock Control - the cost of dealing with urban and rural animals (other than dogs) which are not under the control of their owners.

Stormwater & drains-the costs of stormwater reticulation to dispose of rainwater.  Funded by a per property charge payable by residents living in Gisborne city and rural towns.

Sewerage - availability charge - this is the charge if you are in an area where sewerage service is available but not connected.

Sewerage - (pan charge) - this is a usage charge based on the number of toilet pans connected. A domestic dwelling pays only one pan charge, no matter how many toilet pans are installed. All other properties pay one pan charge for each toilet pan or urinal installed and connected.

Sewerage - uniform charge - this is a "connection charge". There is one charge per separately used or inhabited part of a property.

Solid waste - cost of household refuse collection including the cost of recycling.

Tourism - the cost of promoting the district nationally and overseas, and to coordinate events that will benefit the district and visitors to the district. This rate is payable by a targeted rate all industrial, commercial land use properties and also by retail and accommodation businesses over the whole district and by a Uniform Annual General Charge.

Wainui Foredune Protection Scheme- cost of foredune protection study at Wainui, in response to requests from Wainui residents payable by residents who have properties on the Wainui shore.

Wainui Foredune Capital Works -  recovery of the cost of capital works completed in 2007 for foredune protection works as requested by the majority of residents in the affected area.  The targeted rate is charged on the amount of land area of the property owner's rating unit which is in the hazard zone.

Wastewater contribution- collection of capital contributions in advance of major capital expenditure for wastewater processing and outfall.

Water - this is the cost of delivering drinking water to each separately used or inhabited part of a property.  If there are 3 flats on the property there will be 3 water charges.

Water - availability charge - this is the charge if you are in an area where water service is available, but the property is not connected.

Water resources - this is a Regional Council function payable by all ratepayers in the district and is the cost of monitoring the quality and volume of natural water, and ensuring that we are using these water resources wisely.

Uniform Annual General Charge UAGC

This is a fixed charge for separately used or inhabited part of a rating unit.  These are for activities that benefit the community equally. eg. if you have 2 flats on your property, you will pay 2 UAGCs.

Cemeteries- a large proportion of the costs of running the main cemeteries is covered by burial fees.  This rate covers the shortfall which cannot be recovered.

Civil Defence - this is a statutory requirement which applies equally to all parts of the district

Community & consultation processes which include

 i) Civic expenses of the district - scholarships, awards, grants, civic functions, naval visits, Anzac Day, citizenship ceremonies.

ii) Community Development - to facilitate the enhancement of the community's well-being through community development initiatives eg. sports and recreation activities, workshops, and youth support programmes.

iii) Corporate expenses of the district - these are the costs of Membership of Local Government New Zealand, NZ Sister Cities

iv) Community expenses of the district- the provision of support to community groups, volunteers, and local initiatives within the community which enhance the community well-being eg. grants to Riding for the Disabled, Life Education Trust, Keep Gisborne Beautiful, Museum of Technology, City Safe.

Maori liaison - to facilitate the Maori liaison office activity and overall district consultation specific to Treaty and Resource Management Act issues.

Policy development - to provide community consultation in compliance with the Local Government Act 2002. Provision of policy development as required by legislation.

Democratic process - The cost of the Mayor and councillors who meet and represent the people.  It also includes an allocation of the salary costs of those staff that support the council meetings.

Economic development, tourism & regional development see Targeted Rates above

Regional development. - the purchase of properties in regional towns for future development, to provide economic development opportunities in rural centres. Rates funding will used to service the loans needed to purchase land.

Landfills and transfer stations - this is the cost of operating district transfer stations and landfills, and the cost of transportation of solid waste out of the district.

Library -  funds the HB Williams Memorial Library and all the rural and mobile libraries throughout the district.

Litter bins & cleaning public areas - the cost of emptying all the litter bins in towns and on highways and keeping public spaces clean.

Municipal buildings including theatres & halls - the cost of operating and maintaining the council chambers, war Memorial Theatre, Lawson Field Theatre, Outdoor Theatre and other public buildings in the district.

Planning & regulatory activities -

Planning activities - compliance monitoring - 50% of the cost of carrying out council's duty under the Resource Management Act 1991.

Regulatory activities

Construction - provision of advice to public, trade and potential clients on regulatory requirements with the Building Act 2004 and council bylaws.

Environmental Health  - the cost of monitoring environmental health and all other legislative activities delegated to council by central government.

Public conveniences - the cost of cleaning and maintaining the 70 or so public toilets throughout the district.