Ōpōtiki Rates To Increase By 9.5 Percent

Thursday, 1 May 2025, 8:42 pm
Article: Diane McCarthy - Local Democracy Reporter

Ōpōtiki District Council is planning an overall rates rise of 9.5 percent in its coming financial year.

While this is less than the 10.5 percent projected in last year’s long-term plan, the council says residents can expect to see lower levels of service in some areas due to tightening of budgets.

The council approved an information document on its draft Annual Plan 2025-2026 for public release at a meeting on Tuesday.

A report to council said community feedback on the long-term plan had been in support of reduced services and deferring costs.

The council had tightened budgets to engineering, parks and reserves, events, and regional development even further to reduce the rates rise by 1 percentage point.

Mayor David Moore warned that residents may see the impact of lower levels of services across these areas.

The document showed the expected movement in rates for a variety of properties.

For a medium-priced home in the Ōpōtiki township, rates are expected to increase by $320 annually, representing an 11 percent change.

Rates for a medium-priced Hukutaia-Woodlands home connected to water supply and receiving kerbside rubbish collection would increase by $311, or 10 percent.

Rural properties not receiving services paid for by a targeted rate such as water supply or wastewater would see a 7 percent rise. These included rates for a medium valued residential property of $390,000 increasing by $113, a $6.2 million kiwifruit orchard increasing by $1183 and other rural properties valued at $1.4 million increasing by $299.

An Ōhiwa property connected to water supply would increase by 2 percent or $48 for a $470,000 valued property, 3 percent or $127 for a $900,000 property and 4 percent or $219 for a $1.4 million property.

A Te Kaha property connected to the water supply will see little change in rates, with lower value properties of $300,000 dropping by $20 and properties worth $800,000 increasing by just $72.

Most commercial and industrial properties’ rates will increase by 6 percent except those valued at $3.5 million or more which will decrease by at least 7 percent.

The document also outlines work planned for the town’s big cost items such as wastewater, stormwater, water supply, roads and solid waste to keep them safe, resilience and fit for purpose. It also outlines over $1 million in capital expenditure on parks and reserves, including new toilets near the eastern sea wall and upgrades to existing toilets, new floodlights and other upgrades for Memorial Park sportsgrounds and extending the Waiotahe cycleway to connect with the Bryan’s Beach and Ohiwa Harbour cyclepaths.

Because there are not any major changes to what the council already consulted on in its long-term plan, it is not required to undertake a formal consultation. However, the community is encouraged to let the council know what it thinks about the plan before it must be adopted by June 30. Feedback can be given online through connect.odc.govt.nz by email, post or drop off.

Information sessions will be advertised through social media and the Antenno app.

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