Kāpiti ratepayers will face a less than expected bill after the average rate rise figure from the Greater Wellington Regional Council was reduced from the proposed figure of 9.3% to 5.6%.
In real terms that amount equals for Kāpiti an average rates increase in 2017-18 of $22. This is based on the average capital value (residential): $389,000. The average rates bill for Kāpiti for the 2017-18 year is $394.
Greater Wellington council approved the 5.6 per cent average increase, as well as a water levy increase of 6.1 per cent, when it signed off its 2017-18 Annual Plan recently.
The increase will see rates go up by $28 for the average residential household in Wellington, with those in the Hutt Valley and Porirua paying more than $40 extra.
Some councillors have seen the rates rise as a success, based on the predicted rise of 9.3 per cent in the council’s 2015-2025 Long-Term Plan.
Finance, Risk and Assurance Committee – Chair Paul Swain says the increase was unavoidable if people wanted the council to move ahead with big-ticket items of investment.
“We are required to invest in the region, primarily because people have told us time and time again these are the things they need.”
Cr Swain says the $143m flood protection programme was the single biggest investment in flood protection for decades, while the electric Matangi fleet had increased annual train passenger numbers. “These will cost money. These are big-ticket items,” he said.
