Whangārei's rural ratepayers face $4000 charge to get roads sealed

The Whangārei District Council plans to extend seal on several high-priority roads this summer on a part-funded basis. Photo / Supplied

Seal extension is planned for several high priority roads in Whangārei provided a majority of ratepayers along those routes pay a targeted rate of more than $4000 each.

Whangārei District Council is offering ratepayers along the roads the option to pay $4000 plus GST through their rates over five years, interest free.

It means each ratepayer covers 20 per cent of the total cost of work on every road. The balance comes from general rates across the district.

Sealing costs about $400,000 per kilometre.

The roads identified for seal extension this summer includes Brookes and Massey Rds in Waipu, Nook and Tahunatapu Rds at Parua Bay and Attwood Rd in Kamo.

A further three roads— Ody, Thorburn and Franklin — will be sealed without a targeted rate.

Long-time Nook Rd residents Philip and Jeanette King are aware of targeted rates and said they'd be happy to consider the part-funding model.

"The bottom line is we want the road to be sealed. We've lived here for 25 years and we're so sick of the road which is narrow, steep, and floods every time it rains. The council doesn't maintain it regularly," Jeanette King said.

Another Nook Rd resident, who did not want to be identified, said WDC should pay for the sealing.

"We pay enough rates already so the council should foot that cost. $4000 is a lot of money."

Murray Moyes of Tahunatapu Rd is "pissed off" at maintenance work done on his road which he said has not improved in the last two decades.

"I've got nice cars and they get ruined driving on this road. It's undriveable. I am more than happy to pay for sealing extension and will even consider putting in a bit for someone who can't pay."

Eileen Alexander also lives on Tahunatapu Rd is delighted WDC is looking at seal extension.

"For a long time, we've had no hope but I think with the council doing it gives others like us hope that theirs will be done too. Unfortunately, targeted rates is the only way sealing can happen as the government no longer fund rural roads," she said.

Alexander hopes the government comes to the party as the rural sector and the health of its population are really important.

Seal extensions were partly-funded by the NZ Transport Agency until 2008.

Last year, WDC allocated $1m per annum over three years of the 2018-21 Long Term Plan for seal extensions and a further $2m in the 2019/20 annual plan.

Following a meeting of WDC Councillors, all unsealed roads were assessed according to the number of users along each section to be sealed, the number of and density of housing along every road, the level of requests from the public and the cost of maintaining the road unsealed, as against sealing it.

WDC strategy and planning manager Jeff Devine said the simpler projects would be fast-tracked for completion this summer.

Projects with approved ratepayer agreements will be constructed first and the remainder of the programme will be carried forward to the 2020/21 summer season.