National campaigns manager Callum Purves says that against other district councils, Tararua District ranks in the middle of the pack for both residential and non-residential rates.
“That being said, there is clearly room for improvement and the council must ensure that spending is kept to a minimum to prevent rate hikes in the future.”
For the 2022/23 financial year, the rates were increased by around 11 per cent and the 2023/24 increase is around 13 per cent.
A spokesman for the Dannevirke Ratepayers and Residents Association says while it is an acknowledged fact the rates homeowners and business owners pay for being in the Tararua district might seem to be in the “middle of the pack”, he believed other key metrics needed to be included.
Those metrics included average incomes across the entire district.
He says according to the 2018 Census, the median income was $26,300 and only 9.8 per cent of the population was earning more than $70,000.
“Of course, we will need to wait for the latest census data to reflect any movement or changes.”
The spokesman said it should also be noted that the key demographic in the 2018 census was that only 45.9 per cent of the population was employed fulltime, with 4.0 per cent unemployed.
“A further element to this is the ever-growing number of retired people who, if they own their own home, will be on a fixed income.
“When we consider the level of stated investment required by the council over the coming year or more, the last two years’ rates increased combined reflect an almost 25 per cent increase.”
He says an important strategy for the council will be highlighting and prioritising large expenditures going forward, and working to ensure any future rates increases are not only justified, but can be sustained by the population across the district.
The Ratepayers’ Report allows people to compare their local council’s performance and financial position against others.
Tararua District Mayor Tracey Collis says despite the recent rates increase, the report affirms that the district is still an affordable place to live.
“Recognising the pressure of the cost of living, the council is committed to striking a balance between affordability for ratepayers and providing the necessary resources to maintain and enhance our services.”
Purves says the report showcases the inner workings of councils all over New Zealand and provides an essential tool for ratepayers to evaluate their local council.
Other data in the report obtained through LGOIMA request states that there were 127 fulltime equivalent staff at the time of compilation, with 12 of those paid a salary over $100,000.
The average annual salary for a manager was $102,100.
The report also recorded no response from the council to requests for information on expenditure on consultants and contractors or the total number of such expenditures.
