Have your say on Wanganui's rating system

The Council is inviting public submissions on Wanganui District's rating system and whether ratepayers believe it to be fair and reasonable.

During the 2005-06 Annual Plan and rate-setting process, the Council said it would hold a rating review and ask for public comments on the rates structure. These comments will feed into considerations about the funding policy for future years.

Funding policy

Rates or user fees?

Do you believe rates are a fair way of funding services?
Do you think your rates are too high?
Do you think user fees should be charged for some services, instead of rates?

Capital value, land value or uniform charges?

At present, Wanganui District's rates are based on a mixture of capital value, land value and user charges, as well as an annual general charge.

Capital value is the total value of a property, including land and buildings. Land value is the value of the land only.

Capital value rating favours:
1. Undeveloped land.
2. Farmers.

It is:
1. Easy to measure as it is based on the sale price of the entire property.
2. More stable, giving ratepayers more surety.
3. A better (but not perfect) measure of ability to pay.
4. A better reflection of some, but not all, services provided by Council.

Land value rating favours:
1. Highly developed land.
2. Commercial ratepayers.

It is:
1. Difficult to measure as it is only part of the sale price of the property.
2. Less stable due to fluctuations, giving ratepayers less surety.
3. A poor measure of ability to pay.
4. A better reflection of some, but not all, services provided by Council.
5. Encourages redevelopment of structures on land.

Uniform Annual Charges

The Council currently also has a Uniform Annual General Charge for each separately rated property unit. The uniform charge means that each property pays a minimum charge to fund the services which the Council provides to all properties.

Which costs should be funded from user fees and which should be funded from rates?
Should rates should be based on land or capital value, or a combination?
Do you think uniform charges are fair?

Differential rates

Differential rates mean one group of ratepayers pays more than another due to some characteristic of their property. The Council currently has separate rating groups for residential, commercial and farming ratepayers.

Each Council activity is individually assessed and the costs of that activity are split between residential, commercial and farming ratepayers based on the benefit they receive from that service.

Do you think the current differential system is fair and reasonable?

Make a submission

You can make a submission about the rating system in writing to:

Chairman of Finance and Administration, Wanganui District Council, PO Box 637, Wanganui; or email us.

The closing date for submissions is Friday, 11 November 2005.

BRANZ (Building Research Association of NZ) will be presenting a seminar in Wanganui on the new plumbing requirements of the Building Act 2004.

The seminar will cover, in depth, the information required for Building Consents under the new Act, and what drawings, details and specifications should be included to ensure a trouble-free consent process.

Please treat this as a compulsory training opportunity for all plumbers, architects, designers, builders and work supervisors.

The seminar will be held at 1.30pm on 26 October 2005, and further details can be obtained from BRANZ or pick up a pamphlet at the Council's Customer Services Desk in the Guyton Street building.

Jazzboat Festival 2005
October 21-23

Many of New Zealand’s finest jazz musicians, as well as international artists, will be entertaining audiences in Wanganui at Labour Weekend.

Special guest stars include Rodger Fox, Massey University Big Band, Erna Ferry, Holly Hoffman Quartet from Los Angeles and Nairobi Trio. Organised by the Wanganui Jazz Club, the festival features cruises on the paddle steamer Waimarie, a programme of evening concerts and daytime jazz sessions at cafes and bars.

6.00pm-8.00pm Champagne ‘n’ jazz riverboat cruise with the Dixieland sounds of Rose City Six.
8.00pm Nairobi Trio perform at the Commercial Club. (Door sales available.)

8.00pm Gala International Concert at the Royal Wanganui Opera House. Featuring Holly Hoffman’s Quartet plus Rodger Fox and Massey University Big Band with special guest Erna Ferry. (Door sales available.)

11.00am-1.00pm Brunch ‘n’ jazz riverboat cruise with Rose City Six.
7.00pm All That’s Jazz, the official jam session for the festival, at the Commercial Club. (Door sales available.)

Daytime jazz sessions will be held at Amadeus Riverbank Café, Stellar, Vega Café Bar & Restaurant, Victoria’s and Vincent’s. There is no cover charge for these events.

Bookings for events can be made at the Royal Wanganui Opera House. Programmes are available from the Opera House and i-SITE Wanganui Visitor Centre.

We welcome members of the public to attend our meetings

Strategy - Thursday, October 20
Castlecliff Liquor Ban – Guy Fawkes Night; Central City Waterfront Development; Community Outcomes; Referendum ’06 – Topic of Spelling of Wanganui; Sarjeant Gallery Support Group; Whanganui River Road – Pipiriki-Raetihi Road Seal Extension; Local Authority By-election/Referendum; Proposed 2006 Standing Committee Meeting Schedule; New Zealand Flag Protocol; Six Weekly Statistic Update; ‘River Queen’ Premiere. Confidential item: Economic Development Opportunity – Contract Negotiations.

Council - Monday, October 31
- The Council will consider the reports from all Committee meetings held in October.

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are held at 4.00pm in Committee Room 2, 1st Floor, Municipal Office Building, 101 Guyton Street, Wanganui.

Agendas are available at the Customer Services Counter, Municipal Office Building, 101 Guyton Street, Wanganui and the Wanganui District Library two working days prior to the meeting.