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Council rejects rates policy proposal

11 Mar 2021

Buller District Council voted yesterday against adopting the proposed rates review policy.

After a day and a half of hearing verbal submissions from members of the public, Councillors debated, deliberated, and ultimately rejected the proposed policy with 10 Councillors voting against it and Councillor Margaret Montgomery abstaining from voting.

Council directed chief executive Sharon Mason to include the current rates policy in the organisation’s Long Term Plan 2021 – 2031 and to initiate an audit of the rates database.

A report recommending a process for the database audit will be presented to Council’s Finance Risk and Audit Committee meeting in May. The audit will test the data and seek to identify possible improvements.

Mayor Cleine believes an audit of the rates database is necessary before attempts are made to alter the rates policy.

“I think we have established a positive way forward by ending the rates review process that was clearly not going to serve our district well for the future. The right thing to do is ensure the base data is sound and I believe an audit will provide some confidence on which to base any future decisions”. 

Council received 460 submissions to the proposed rates policy with the majority against the proposal.

The process around reviewing the rates policy has been underway for seven years with several community consultations occurring throughout that time.

Mayor Cleine says community consultation and being open to receiving feedback is key to shaping the community.

“Any rates review is difficult for those who may be affected. However, I have been consistent in my approach that council needed to be open, listen, and understand the feedback received. I am very satisfied that the process allowed that to happen and has ensured council was better informed to make a decision.

I appreciate the number of people who chose to help and engage in the consultation process.”

-ENDS-

For more information please contact 
Mayor Jamie Cleine
Jamie.cleine@bdc.govt.nz