Freeze rates rises, petition urges Western Bay leaders

Tauranga Grey Power president Christina Humphreys

More than 2000 Western Bay ratepayers have signed a petition asking the council to put a freeze on rates rises.

The Western Ward Residents and Ratepayers Association started the petition and was being backed by Tauranga Grey Power and the Te Puke Residents and Ratepayers Association. The petition will be sent to the Western Bay of Plenty District Council today as a submission to the Long Term Plan.

It comes on the heels of a media report claiming the Western Bay of Plenty had the highest rates of any region in the country at an average of about $3200.

Western Ward Residents and Ratepayers committee member and president of Tauranga Grey Power Christina Humphreys said the issue affected many.

"We are the highest rated district in the country and folks cannot take another increase," she said.

"The Western Ward Residents and Ratepayers Association have decided to get heavy on this with a petition and if the council can't listen to the people then we will have to take it further and look at maybe a 'no confidence' vote of the council. We hope it doesn't come to that, but they must listen to the people."

Western Bay of Plenty District Council chief financial officer Matt Potton said the $3200 figure was the average urban rate not the average overall rate, which was about $2800.

It was difficult to comment on rates tables as each council provided different stories and activities, he said.

"It is fair to say that the Western Bay is usually at the higher end of these. This is mainly a legacy of being in a high growth area and the cost of providing infrastructure to service the growth. It is also due in part to servicing a mostly rural population - providing roads, water and wastewater, etc - which tends to be more difficult (and expensive) in rural over urban settings."

The rate increase proposed in the draft Long Term Plan was about 4.9 per cent but would vary between ratepayers, Mr Potton said.

Long Term Plan submissions close today at 4pm. Submission can be made online or at any of the council offices.