WDC WATER RATES TO RISE 22.6%

 The WDC Annual Plan is out for consultation. And it is proposing massive rate increases:

 • A 22.6% increase in water rates, 

• A general rate increase by between 5% and 10.1%, depending on which of the three options they choose, • A 2.6% increase in wastewater charges, and 

• Increasing the stormwater rate (which they introduced last year) from $45 to $124 a year. 

The 22.6% water rate increase is in stark contrast to a statement made in the 2025-26 Annual Plan, where it said an increase of 5.7% would provide enough funding for good management as well as increasing capacity for growth. What’s changed? Mayor Couper needs to explain. Is it because of Northland Water Done Well? 

Huge NRC rate increases , +32.9%

A sitting councillor seeking re-election on the Northland Regional Council has dismissed claims of high rate increases.

Yet again, facts contradict the election rhetoric.

Here are the NRC's annual rate increases in each of the last four years:

• 3.54% in the year ended 30 June  2026
• 16.18% in 2025  
• 10.48% in 2024
• 13.89% in 2023 (resolved by the previous council)

These figures are taken from NRC press releases (see links below).

Rates the #1 election issue

Feedback from LETTERBOX readers shows rates will be the #1 issue for this local body election.

It seems ratepayers have had enough and are demanding the council prioritise essential services over niceties.

Here are some finance facts.

Over the last three years, a typical house in urban Whangarei has had a total rate increase of 27%. This includes a 25% increase by the Whangarei District Council (WDC) and a whopping 36.2% by the Northland Regional Council (NRC). These increases are more than 2 and 3 times the rate of inflation, respectively.

The WDC will increase rates by another 9.8% this year, and the NRC by 3.6%.

Can the WDC save $10m a year?

 

The New Plymouth District Council (NPDC) achieved savings of $10 million in annual spending through a comprehensive restructuring and operational efficiency program. Can the Whangarei District Council do the same?

The NPDC savings were part of a broader "transformation" initiative aimed at reducing operational costs while maintaining service delivery. Here’s how they did it:

Budget rates rebate

Budget 2025 introduced changes to the Rates Rebate Scheme in New Zealand, specifically targeting increased support for SuperGold cardholders. The key changes are: The maximum rebate has increased by $15 from $790 to $805, and the eligibility threshold for the maximum rebate has increased from $31,510 to $45,000. This means every SuperGold cardholder earning only New Zealand Superannuation with rates higher than $2,000 is eligible for the full rebate, while those earning above $45,000 may qualify for a smaller rebate.

Councils and unpaid rates

 Stuff reports: “Millions of dollars in unpaid council rates have been taken directly from property owners’ mortgages in the past year. A little-known clause of the Local Government (Rating) Act 2002 [Section 62] gives councils the power to force people’s banks or finance companies to cover unpaid rates… If a rates defaulter owns a property outright, and thus has no mortgage, a council will use in-house rates chasers, or debt collectors to get payment. If that doesn’t work, councils have the power to go to the high court for an order to sell or lease a property to recover the rates.”

WDC IGNORES PUBLIC

A staff report on the submissions to the WDC’s annual plan shows how little regard your elected representatives have for public opinion.

·         87% of submitters opposed the 17.2% rate increase, but the council voted for it anyway! Supporting the increase were: Mayor Cocurullo and Crs Benney, Connop, Couper, Harding, Holmes, McKenzie, and Peters. Those against were: Crs Halse, Olsen, Reid, Ruka, and Yovich. Think about that when voting in next year’s local body elections!

17.2% RATES INCREASE!

The Whangarei District Council (WDC) wants to increase your rates by an astonishing 17.2%. And it is not going to end there. It is proposing another 10% increase next year, and another 10% the year after.

That means within the next three years the average ratepayer will be paying about $1,000 more than they are today. For those renting, that means a $20 increase in rent a week. 

The Mayor says the Council “cannot cost save our way out of this”. 

You're fired!

Democracy Northland is calling for the resignation of five councillors who supported a rate increase of 10.9%, despite near-unanimous opposition from the public.

In a media release, Democracy Northland said, 

“Clearly these councillors don't understand a councillor's role is to represent the communities that elected them. The communities they were elected to represent said “No” to 10.9%. They ignored those they say they represent.” 

The councillors are Ken Couper (Bream Bay Ward), Scott McKenzie (Hikurangi-Coastal), Deborah Harding (Māori Ward), Nicholas Connop and Carol Peters (Urban Ward).

Response to public survey - WDC rates

Thank you to everyone who participated in our survey about the proposal by the Whangarei District Council to increase rates by 10.9%.  

The survey was promoted by random letterbox drop.

The question asked was: 

The Whangarei District Council is proposing a 10.9% rate increase for the financial year starting 1 July 2023. What do you think is reasonable?

Printable letterbox flyer - say no to 10.9% rate increase

Copy, paste, print, and distribute to letterboxes in your neighbourhood.

10.9% rates increase - Whangarei District Council

 

The Whangarei District Council wants to know what you think of a proposed 10.9% rates increase!

It says, 

Council will be presenting rates rise options for the public to consider during their Annual Plan consultation in April 2023 as they grapple with high inflation.