KDC to review rates rise

Following consultation with local ratepayer group, Mangawhai Matters Society Inc (MM), and after conducting his own investigations, Kaipara Council Mayor Jonathan Larsen has recommended to the council meeting next Thursday that staff review the Annual Plan to bring the 2026/7 proposed rate increase down by 4.0% from 7.9% to 3.9%.

Mayor Larsen has agreed with MM that many ratepayers are suffering from cost-of-living pressures including recent increases in fuel prices.

“Reducing rates increases will help to reduce these pressures” he says.

Mangawhai Matters conducted its own investigations into cost of living  pressures and was able to provide the Mayor and local Mangawhai/Kaiwaka councillors with information of how the original increase proposed by council staff would impact sectors like the unemployed and those on the pension.

 MM found that of those on the pension, between 42% and 48% had the pension as their only source of income. This meant that between 1800 and 2300 households in Kaipara solely relied on the pension.

Mayor Larsen has moved a notice of motion at the ordinary council meeting on May 27 that council staff identify capital works currently funded from general rates that could be debt funded over ten years.

“Important capital works can still be carried out but with the costs reduced up-front and spreads over 10 years. The council’s conservative debt position allows the proposed debt funding to be accommodated,” he says.

Mr Larsen says that once the Chief Executive brings an amended budget to an extraordinary meeting of the council for a decision, there was still time for KDC to publish its statutory-required Annual Plan for 2026/27 before the revised rate was struck.

Mangawhai Matters chair Doug Lloyd praised the mayor and local Mangawhai/Kaiwaka ward councillors for meeting with the executive committee of Mangawhai Matters and being open to consider changes to the proposed Annual Plan.

“We were more disappointed KDC staff had not given councillor options for different levels of rates and explained the impact of those on the district. It is a pity that we have had to go through this process.

“We have always worked well with the local ward councillors and both entities have ratepayer concern in the forefront of their objectives.” he said