June 29, 2011

Get rates by email and be in to win

Kāpiti Coast District Council ratepayers who take up the new option to have their rates invoices emailed and who pay their rates by direct debit will be in with a chance to win a $500 rebate each quarter, Council decided yesterday.

“Other Councils have promoted the emailing of rates’ invoices and have achieved a maximum uptake of between 10 and 20%,” Mayor Jenny Rowan said. “We’re hopeful that by providing a financial incentive, we’ll achieve a much greater uptake with the potential for significant savings in printing and postage.

“If 50% of the ratepayer base takes up the email option, the potential saving in administrative costs is around $32,000 a year. With a maximum “prize” of $500 a quarter, the cost of the incentive will be $2000 including GST. This is a good rate of return.

“The approach also contributes to the Council’s sustainability efforts by saving significant amounts of paper and the energy costs involved in transporting rates invoices and envelopes.”

Ratepayers who have no rate arrears and who take up the option of having invoices emailed, will be eligible for a “prize” of $350 in the quarterly draw. If they also choose to pay their rates by direct debit, saving Council cash or cheque handling costs and banking fees, the prize is increased to the full amount of $500. The amount will be credited to the winner’s rates account.

A random selection programme will be used to select the quarterly winner and the draw will be held in the presence of a Justice of the Peace shortly after the proposed delivery date for each quarterly rates instalment.

Neither staff nor elected members are eligible for the quarterly draw.

Direct debiting includes the option of weekly, fortnightly, monthly or quarterly deductions to assist ratepayers with cash flow. Ratepayers who choose not to direct debit will be encouraged to make use of internet banking to direct credit their payments rather than pay by cheque or cash.

“We believe this is the first time a financial incentive of this type has been applied to encourage the acceptance of emailed rates invoices,” Mayor Rowan said.

Group Manager Finance Warwick Read said a campaign to promote the emailing of rates invoices would be undertaken and information included with the first rates instalment sent out on August 5, 2011.

Ratepayers wanting to receive their rates invoice by email should send their request for ‘Emailing of Rates Invoices’ to: rates@kapiticoast.govt.nz.

The first quarterly draw will be in early November 2011. To be eligible for the first draw ratepayers will need to be registered by October 15, 2011, Mr Read said.

ENDS

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