Poorer ratepayers rush councils' offer of boosted rebates

Low-income ratepayers have been quick to take up the offer of boosted rates rebates as councils send out their bills for 2006-07.

Council officers say inquiries for rebates have gone from a dribble to a torrent as more people realise they can get as much as $500 off their rates bill.

From July 1, the Government bumped up the maximum rebate from the $200 offered for the last 30 years.

The eligible income limit has also risen from $7400 to $20,000 a year and the allowance for a dependant has gone up from $156 to $500.

Local Government Minister Mark Burton has welcomed the early public support for the expanded rebate scheme.

Department of Internal Affairs, which runs the rebate scheme, had approved 29,694 applications from the country's councils for $9,689,833.

Mr Burton said last year only 4200 applications were received, so the improvements were already proving effective for thousands.

Councils have sent out leaflets about the new rebates with their rates demands since the middle of last month and leaflets have been distributed at Grey Power meetings.

Aucklanders seem slower to respond to the offer compared with their southern counterparts.

In Christchurch, 5519 applications have been processed for a total of $2.69 million compared with Auckland City where $836,935 has been approved for 1728 ratepayers.

The average rebate for the city is $484.34.

North Shore City Council financial services manager John McLaren said 2475 people had so far applied to the council, compared with 329 last year under the old scheme.

A household with a rates bill of $1500 and income up to $23,000 would be eligible for the full $500 rebate.

If the income was $25,000, the rebate would fall to $268.

Whangarei District Council rates manager Bill Harris said 2100 applications had been received and he thought about 3500 households would be eligible.

In Thames-Coromandel District, the council said about 4000 households would be eligible out of 25,000 ratepayers and so far 575 had applied.

Coromandel pensioner Pat Williams said the rebate offer was welcomed.

"Yes, we are queuing up for it - we are all poor old fellas here.

"I'm happy, I received the full $500 rebate.

"Its a good thing - we don't get many of those."

She said her local council rates bill was $1200 and the regional council about $300.

Applications can be made until June 30.