Rates increase set to become official

The council is expected to sign off on an average rates rise across the district of 1.9 per cent. Photo / Stephen Parker

Rotorua Lakes Council is expected to sign off on its Annual Plan and officially set its rates increase for the coming year at a council meeting tomorrow.

Councillors are also expected to vote to approve the long-awaited District Plan which would then switch from the Proposed District Plan to the Operative District Plan on July 10.

The council will meet from 9.30am in the council chamber where it will also discuss the confirmation of confidential minutes from previous council meetings held on May 26 and 31 as well as confidential recommendations from previous committee meetings.

The council will sign off on an average rates rise across the district of 1.9 per cent and will also confirm the discounts available to people who pay early.

Rates for businesses would rise by less than half of 1 per cent in most cases and rates for residential urban properties would rise by between 2 and 2.2 per cent.

Rates for rural residential properties will see the largest increase of between 4.6 per cent and 7.5 per cent.

According to an agenda report Rotorua's new District Plan is ready to become an operative plan after a lengthy review process and subsequent appeals.

"Costly Environment Court hearings were avoided as no appeals proceeded to hearing, another significant accomplishment," the report stated.

"Having a new operative plan is a major milestone for the council and a very positive outcome for the community. The new plan is an enabling plan that focuses on the key priorities identified by the Rotorua 2030 vision such as revitalising the city centre, attracting business and innovation to the district, providing a wide variety of choices of places to live and enjoy, improving water quality and sustainably managing Rotorua's precious natural resources such as geothermal fields, significant natural areas and its many beautiful lakes."