Any Whakatāne ratepayers not on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly payment plan will find their schedule of rates payments more intense than usual for the remainder of this year.
Delays in Whakatāne District Council adopting its Long-term Plan 2024-2034 have resulted in its first rates instalment being delayed a month.
Normally due in mid-August, the invoices are just being delivered to mailboxes this week. Those who receive them through email should have had them on Sunday. The due date is September 20.
Bay of Plenty Regional Council rates for the entire year will be due on October 20 and the second instalment of district council rates will be due at its usual time of November 20.
Combined with unprecedented rates increases, this will see big bills due on three successive months.
Councillor Andrew Iles said the issue had a lot of people worried. He felt communication from the council that rates would be delayed had been poor.
“I’ve been stopped several times by people asking, ‘what’s the story on our rates? We haven’t had any rates demand. We haven’t had any notification’.
Councillor Andrew Iles is concerned about some people's ability to meet big rates bills three months running.
“We haven’t really let ratepayers know that there is going to be that delay. Unless you’re on a monthly payment programme, you’re going to find yourself hit by three big bills in succession.
Iles was one of three councillors who was not in agreement with the average rates rise in the long-term plan but reluctantly voted for it as he was concerned about the uncertainty not having a long-term plan would cause.
Christine Burke was one of the people who had approached Iles about when rates were due. She said she was not the only person feeling left in the dark.
“I’ve had no communication whatsoever from council in regards to when the rates are due or how much is due. A lot of elderly people don’t know what’s going on. I thought, well, they should have been here by August. I asked my workmates and they hadn’t had anything either. I’m still wondering when they are coming out,” she said.
“With the rates being late we are now forking out rates for the next three months. A little bit of consideration for ratepayers would go a long way,” she said.
Bay of Plenty Regional Council's Whakatāne building.
The Whakatāne council said the delay in its Long-term Plan adoption was the result of changes made around Three Waters by the coalition government.
It has put information on its Facebook page and website regarding the timing of rates bills this year and included the information in a media release about the adoption of the long-term plan.
Both the regional and district councils have payment options available for anyone who may be struggling with cost-of-living increases. Additionally, district council rates rebates of up to $790 can be claimed by those who meet the Department of Internal Affairs eligibility threshold. For payment options and assistance, ratepayers are encouraged to phone, email or visit the council for help on an individual basis.
- LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
