Glitch sends one person’s rates bill to up to 1000 Central Hawke’s Bay residents

A software problem at Central Hawke's Bay District Council is being investigated. Photo / Ian Cooper

A software glitch at Central Hawke’s Bay District Council sent one person’s rates bill to up to 1000 ratepayers.

Chief executive Doug Tate said the council was made aware of an issue with the rating system on Friday morning.

“When our rate notices were sent out, one person’s information from 2024 was sent out to multiple people,” Tate said.

“We’re working to establish the fault. At this point, we understand it to be under 1000 people.

“I’d urge anyone who received it to protect the person’s privacy, please delete the email.

“We take these matters, including protecting people’s privacy, really seriously. I will be working with the team at council to better understand what the fault was,” he said.

The council said on its Facebook page there was no need to phone it about the problem, “as we’re aware and working hard with our software suppliers to understand the issue”.

“We will let you know more soon.”

Central Hawke’s Bay District Council set its average 2025/26 rates increase at 7.4%. It follows an average increase of 20% last year.

The council is working to reduce predicted water rate hikes of $5000 per household over the next decade.

At a meeting on Thursday, councillors voted to stay at the table to consider recommendations for the Regional Water Services Council-Controlled Organisation (HBWSCCO), including one on the impact of a 30-year investment strategy.

Deliberations were held to consider the community’s submissions on three options – a regional CCO with other Hawke’s Bay councils, in-house delivery, and a standalone CCO – and the views heard during the five-week consultation period.

“Now’s the time we need to sit at the table with Government and our regional partners to ensure the challenges of the district’s three waters infrastructure are turned into opportunities for generations to come,” Central Hawke’s Bay Mayor Alex Walker said.

From the submissions, it was clear most residents connected to and paying for water supported the change to a regional CCO.

“It’s this group of people who are most impacted,” Walker said.

“But we also recognise this is a complex issue of ownership, control, government reach, trust, confidence, as well as affordability.

“We’ve listened to these points and they helped strengthen our response. Your voices have armed us with the support for clear advocacy in the region and to push back at Government policy, and how to better right-size our investment.

“Addressing the challenges of our water infrastructure is one of the most significant, if not the most significant, issues for this district.

“We have been advocating to the Government and anyone who will listen that the system is broken and must change to support districts like ours,” Walker said.

“I have called on Local Government Minister Simon Watts, imploring him to consider changes that would benefit smaller rural communities, including Central Hawke’s Bay.”

Council will meet again on July 24.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.