Rates Review 2026

What are we doing?

We’re taking a fresh look at how rates are shared across our district. This isn't about collecting more money overall. Instead, we want to figure out a better, more sustainable way to slice the "rates pie". How can we do things more equitably?

Think of council rates as a way of pooling resources. By everyone chipping in, we can all enjoy great shared services, such as roads, pools, and beautiful parks, that would all be far too expensive for anyone to fund on their own. To jump forward to the submission form click here.

Why are we reviewing this now?

It's been a long time since we reviewed our rates system. Over the years, our district has grown, how we use our land has changed, and what we expect from local government has shifted. We want to make sure our new system is:

• Equitable for everyone. We want a simple system that treats the whole district as one community, makes sense to everyone, and considers our vulnerable residents.
• Ready for the future. With so many big changes happening in local government, we need a flexible system that can adapt easily.

What are we considering?

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. To learn more about what is being proposed, please read the Statement of Proposal

What does this mean for you?

Check out the rates calculator below to compare each of the options and see how they may affect you. Click the arrowon the bottom right to expand to full view. This calculator is best viewed on a computer.

Because everyone's property is different, this change will affect different types of properties in different ways. We really want you to get involved, find out more, and share your thoughts.

For accessibility purposes, oral submissions may be provided. Please email lets-talk@codc.govt.nz or call 03 440 0056 and make a request to submit an oral submission and we will get back to you with more details.

There are lots of ways you can get involved from 3 August to 4 September 2026.

• Complete the online submission form on this page
• Attend one of our community information sessions or drop-ins
• Get in touch with your elected members
• Email us at ratesreview2026@codc.govt.nz if you've got a tricky question.

All submissions, excluding personal details, will be made public via council agenda. Please read our privacy policy before you begin.