Waikato Herald
  • Waikato Herald home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Rural
  • Lifestyle
  • Lotto results

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Lifestyle
  • Lotto results

Locations

  • Hamilton
  • Coromandel & Hauraki
  • Matamata & Piako
  • Cambridge
  • Te Awamutu
  • Tokoroa & South Waikato
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Weather

  • Thames
  • Hamilton
  • Tokoroa
  • Taumarunui
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Waikato News

General rates eased council changes strategy

Hamilton News
14 Feb, 2013 05:00 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

A new emphasis on targeted rates by the Waikato Regional Council has allowed a reduction in general rates.

A 2013/14 draft budget signed off by Waikato Regional Council signals a drop in the 'all-property' rates and a rise in targeted rates which amounts to an average 2.9 per cent increase to existing ratepayers.

The draft work programme, approved for public consultation, will be delivered on a proposed rates revenue of $78.253 million - a reduction of $1.3 million on the amount forecast in the 2012-2022 Long Term Plan.

Chairman Peter Buckley said the council had funded on a targeted basis where people have asked for services, while reducing the general rate. The targeted rates will increase to pay for improvements to flood protection infrastructure and land drainage. The largest chunk of the increase is to fund a 10-year programme to improve flood protection stopbanks in the Lower Waikato and Waihou-Piako river management schemes.

The work follows a report last year which identified that up to 15 per cent of the Waikato's 620 kilometres of stopbanks were below appropriate levels for dealing with the most extreme flood events.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Over the next three financial years $2.2 million is budgeted annually for the high priority works, and it is estimated $22 million could be needed in total over 10 years.

In the biosecurity work programme, the council is proposing to spend an additional $700,000 on pest management next year.

Meanwhile, regional councillors resolved to fund a contribution of $650,000 a year to the Animal Health Board until June 2014. This contribution helps fund possum control to eradicate bovine Tb. The council decided last May to continue collecting funds for the regional contribution until June 2014 as it was expected the board would have completed a funding review by that date. However, a staff report said it seemed the review might take longer.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Following discussion, councillors endorsed their earlier resolution to reconsider future funding beyond 2014 once the AHB funding review was completed and any implementation timetable agreed.

Councillors emphasised their support for pest control and the eradication of bovine Tb but say the board needs to examine other funding options so that regional funding may be redirected to other priorities.

The council agreed to fund a contract position for two years to work with landowners who want help protecting or enhancing significant natural areas (SNAs) on their properties.

The role would be funded out of the Natural Heritage reserve and would not have any impact on rates.

The 2013/14 Draft Annual Plan is due to be to be adopted on March 7. A public submissions period opens on March 12 and closes at 4pm on April 12. Hearings are scheduled for May 7-10.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Waikato News

Waikato Herald

Man hides out in bush for 5 months after slicing victim with machete over $20

Waikato Herald

'Everyone could have died': Drink-driving mum who left 6yo critical in crash avoids prison

Waikato Herald

'It's on in the Tron': Robertson looking forward to final test


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Waikato News

Man hides out in bush for 5 months after slicing victim with machete over $20
Waikato Herald

Man hides out in bush for 5 months after slicing victim with machete over $20

Christopher Millen went bush, stealing a rifle, tools and a sheep from a nearby house.

17 Jul 08:00 AM
'Everyone could have died': Drink-driving mum who left 6yo critical in crash avoids prison
Waikato Herald

'Everyone could have died': Drink-driving mum who left 6yo critical in crash avoids prison

17 Jul 07:00 AM
'It's on in the Tron': Robertson looking forward to final test
Waikato Herald

'It's on in the Tron': Robertson looking forward to final test

17 Jul 05:00 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Waikato Herald e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Waikato Herald
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP