What are Rates for?Mā ngā tāke e aha?

Rates are a property tax which are a blend of part uniform (fixed) charges for the property, and part rates in the dollar based on the value of your property. From 1 July 2021 Council changed its rating system from a mix of rating on both land and capital value of property to rating on capital value only. Council also reduced the number of value-based rates from 34 to 6.

General rates

General rates are used to fund activities which Council has decided that all or part of an activity should be paid by the community as a whole. Council uses a value based general rate based on the capital value of property. General rates are charged in proportion to the value of your property and paid by all ratepayers.

The general rate is charged differently for different rating categories which are determined by what a property is categorised as. Council has rating categories which are weighted differently for assessing rates. These weightings are known as differentials. Council has the following differential categories:

The general rate is used to pay for the following activities:

Uniform Annual General Charges

Certain activities are funded partially by the general rate and partially by a Uniform Annual General Charge (UAGC).  In doing so Council seeks to establish an appropriate allocation such that all ratepayers make a minimum contribution to these activities that are provided to benefit the whole community. Council assesses the UAGC as a flat dollar amount on each separately used or inhabited part of a rating unit (rates assessment). It is over to each Council to define what a separately used or inhabited part of a rating unit is. The definition of a Separately Used or Inhabited Part (SUIP) can be found here.

The UAGC funds the following activities:

For the year starting 1 July 2024 the UAGC is $449.70

Targeted rates

Targeted rates are used to fund activities where:

• all or part of the cost of a particular activity should be met by a particular group of ratepayers, or

• there is some advantage in funding the activity by a rate other than the general rate.

Targeted rates are a flat dollar amount per SUIP or number of connections to a property, apart from the drainage rate which is a flat dollar amount per rates assessment where the service is provided. Targeted rates are thought of a direct cost in relation to services provided to a property.

Targeted rates are used to fund the following services:

Water supply - the cost of delivering drinking water to each separately used or inhabited part of a property throughout the district where the service is provided. We produce 2.9 million litres of drinking water per day from our water supply systems.

Sewerage disposal – We operate and maintain wastewater systems in the Wairoa, Tuai, Māhia and Ōpoutama areas, aiming to ensure a compliant and efficient wastewater service. A residential property pays only a one pan charge per separately used or inhabited part of a property. Industrial and commercial properties pay one pan charge for each toilet pan or urinal installed and connected.

Wastewater schemes – targeted rates for the Ōpoutama and Mahia Beach community sewerage schemes where they have elected to pay the capital costs of these schemes through their rates.

Rural wastewater – a charge for each septic tank on a property.

Waste management rural, waste management urban – a charge relating to the waste monitoring of the Wairoa landfill as well as closed landfills around the district, operating the Wairoa landfill and recycling centre, recyclables collections, litterbin collections, vehicle removals, collecting illegally dumped refuse, holiday clean-up programmes, corporate overheads, green-waste management and waste minimisation programmes.

Drainage – We maintain networks of stormwater pipes, open drains, and outlets in the Wairoa and Māhia areas.

Contact

For more information please contact the Wairoa District Council.

+64 6 838 7309
customerservices@wairoadc.govt.nz
97-103 Queen Street, Wairoa 4108
PO Box 54, Wairoa 4160