Your questions Answered - Kaipara Commissioner - John Robertson: Bill confirms rates are payable

 

 

Bill confirms rates are payable
A lot of Council related business is happening in Maungaturoto this week.

On Monday, a Parliamentary Select Committee is hearing submissions on Kaipara District Council (Validation of Rates and Other Matters) Bill.

This Bill was introduced to Parliament back in June. Once the Select Committee has considered submissions, the Bill will be reported back to Parliament with recommendations.

On Tuesday, Council will hold its monthly meeting in Maungaturoto. At this meeting Commissioners will be considering signing off a capital works programme for the current 2013/14 year.

Most of your rates are spent to maintain and update capital works. The expenditure under consideration for this year is as follows:
■ Water Supply: $0.96 million, spread over 11 separate projects.
■ Wastewater: $0.77 million, spread over 11 projects.
■ Stormwater: $0.19 million, spread over 4 projects.
■ Roads and bridges: $10.47 million.

Council has a considerable investment in infrastructure – a half billion dollars worth. Asset management plans are being constructed around these to ensure that we maintain them well over time. Much of this investment is underground (pipes) and the condition of it is not always known. Part of our investment this year will be in systems and technology that will help us monitor and manage this infrastructure better.

Last year, Commissioners instructed the Executive to defer capital projects totalling $2.6 million in order to set off the gap in rates revenue arising from certain property owners refusing to pay their rates. This year, the projects affected will be put back into the works programme, and a new set of projects will need to be deferred until we see the end of the “do not pay your rates” campaign.

Commissioners urge any property owner who is still not paying their rates to reconsider. This is a new rating year, with rates set from robust plans that the Commissioners are confident in. Council applies your rates to the public services that are important to your daily lives, including roads, footpaths, and where you are hooked up to wastewater systems, these also.

Now, to answer questions.

What does the Kaipara Bill say on the validity of the rates for the year ending 30 June 2013?
The Bill removes any doubt that property rates set and invoiced for last year are payable. The Council has always been clear on this matter, but the MRRA has been advocating otherwise, advising people not to pay the rates for this year. To make this absolutely clear, the Bill has a special provision to remove doubt.

Will people who have held back their rates be assessed penalties?
Yes, the late payment of rates incurs penalties.

Is the Mangawhai Endowment Lands Account a debt of the Kaipara District Council?
No – it is classed as a “Restricted Reserve” in the Council’s Accounts. It is restricted in the sense that the reserve can be used only on certain activities. 

What can it be used for?
Section 8 of the Mangawhai Lands Empowering Act 1966 defines the use as “…for county purposes that benefit or tend to benefit the district.”
The “district” is defined in the same legislation, as relating to certain areas in Mangawhai.

How was it created?
In 1965, the endowment lands of the dissolved Mangawhai Harbour Board were vested in the Otamatea County Council. The Kaipara District Council is a succeeding Council. Today the resulting reserve is made up of some land and some proceeds from the sale of land.
The status of the reserve at the end of June 2013 was:

Closing balance of Reserve       $5.5 million
Less Land value                        ($0.8 million)
Undistributed Reserve               $4.7 million