FAQs

Our rating system hasn’t been reviewed for a long time. In that time, our district has changed – how people live, how land is used, and what's expected of local government. This review is about making sure rates are equitable, flexible, and fit for the future.

Equity

• Some rates have been set at ward level, creating complexity and inconsistency across the district
• We heard in our LTP feedback that vulnerable residents need to be considered
• We want a system that feels fair and makes sense to ratepayers

 Flexibility

• Local government is facing its biggest changes in decades – water reform, potential rates capping, central government restructuring
• The way we live and use land is shifting fast
• We need a rating system that can adapt without having to be rebuilt every time something changes. 

 Bigger picture

• We want to function as one district, not a collection of wards
• Capital value rating is becoming standard – only 11 councils still use land value
• A fairer system builds trust in how we fund what the district needs.    

The biggest idea that we're exploring is how we calculate your rates. Currently we use land value, which only looks at what the land is worth. We are considering a shift to capital value, which includes the land plus any improvements or additions you've made, like buildings, houses, or commercial crops like fruit trees and grapevines.

Capital value as a means of calculating rates, has become the standard across most councils.

Different rating models will have different effects on property types – and we encourage you to get involved and find out more.