Rates Notices 2010/2011

Uniform Charges

The following Uniform Annual Charges apply:  

• Uniform Annual General Charge (UAGC) - $666.67 plus operative rate of GST (all properties)
• Outer Area Rural Sewerage Charge - $127.27 plus operative rate of GST (for outer area residential properties only, for example, properties that have a septic tank)
• Environment Monitoring Rate - $35.53 plus operative rate of GST per year (for outer area residential properties only)
• Wastewater Uniform Annual Charge - $382.08 plus operative rate of GST
• Rugby World Cup Levy - $11.73 plus operative rate of GST

The general rates portion is added onto these charges and is levied against each property depending on the value of the property.

The business sector share of rates has been maintained at 20%.

Why isn't wastewater charged on a user pays basis?

The Council is prevented (by legislation) to charge for wastewater on a user pays basis. (Auckland City Council is able to charge in this way, as they have set up a separate company, Metrowater, to do this.)

How the rates are set

Waitakere City Council rates properties according to the land value. The Council contracts Quotable Value NZ (QVNZ) to provide those valuations.

During the year Council advises QVNZ of building consents and new subdivisions that have been approved. Based on this information, QVNZ provides updated values and these are then used to determine the following year™s rates.

Every three years a revaluation of the whole city takes place. The new values provided at this time are then used for the following three years (unless building or subdivision work takes place which affects individual property values). 

The annual rate acquirement is determined through the Council's Annual Plan/Budget process.  Once the total rate revenue is decided, this is then apportioned out to individual properties across the City based on the property's use (residential/commercial) and the property's land value.

General Rate Differential Rating System

A differential rating system is operated in respect of rates levied on the basis of land value for the General Rate, whereby different rates in the dollar are applied to properties based on the use of the property, or in the case of vacant land, the activities that are permitted, controlled, or discretionary for the area in which the land is situated, under the operative district plan under the Resource Management Act 1991.

A stepped differential is applied to all properties.

A stepped differential as detailed above applies to the parts of the land values of rating units as specified. The differential factor describes the relationship of the rates in the dollar for each step.

Targeted Rates

Museum Levy
This levy is charged on behalf of the Auckland War Memorial Museum. The Council is obliged to pay this under Auckland War Memorial Museum Act 1996. This is calculated according to the land value of a property. It makes up part of the General Rate.

Motat Levy
This levy is payable to the Museum of Transport and Technology under the Transport and Technology Act 2000. This is calculated according to the land value of a property. It makes up part of the General Rate.

Auckland Regional Amenities Funding Levy
This levy is charged for the Auckland Regional Amenities Funding under the Auckland Regional Amenities Funding Act 2008. This is calculated according to the land value of a property. It makes up part of the General Rate.

Water Supply Rates and Charges
To meet the costs of water supply, including operating costs, maintenance and upgrading of infrastructure, purchase and supply of water.

Uniform Annual General Charge
A Uniform Annual General Charge set under Section 13 of the Local Government (Rating) Act 2002 on all rateable land, being a fixed amount per separately used or inhabited part of a rating unit

Wastewater Rate
For all rateable residential land, this is a Targeted Rate set under Section 16 of the Local Government (Rating) Act 2002. It is a fixed uniform charge which is charged upon each separately used or inhabited part of a rating unit. The charge applies to all properties with access available to sewer reticulation.

For non-rateable and business properties the level of the wastewater charge is assessed according to the properties land value.

Rural Sewerage
This charge applies to all properties with no access available to sewer reticulation and who have a septic tank that is included on Council's pump out schedule.

Environment Monitoring Charge
A rate levied on all properties in the Non-Drainage area of the City to cover the costs of monitoring and addressing pollution of water courses.

Te Atatu Peninsula Business Improvement District
 A rate levied on business sector properties in the Te Atatu Peninsula town centre used to help fund the Te Atatu Business Improvement District Association.

Glen Eden Business Improvement District
A rate levied on business sector properties in the Glen Eden town centre used to help fund the Glen Eden Business Improvement District Association.

New Lynn Business Improvement District
A rate levied on business sector properties in the New Lynn town centre used to help fund the New Lynn Business Improvement District Association.

Rugby World Cup Levy
A rate levied on all rateable properties to help fund the costs associated with hosting the Rugby World Cup being a fixed amount per separately used or inhabited part of a rating unit.