On this page: Animal Health Board rate, Drainage rates, Passenger transport rate, Waihou-Piako Catchment targeted rate, Piako River targeted rate, Waihou Valley targeted rates, Waikato-Waipa catchment rates(Project Watershed), West coast rate, Peninsula Project rates, Natural heritage rate, Protecting Lake Taupo rate, Biosecurity rate
Animal Health Board rate
The Waikato Regional Council has previously collected the regional portion of the vector control programme as part of the general rate. In the 2009-2019 LTP the regional contribution was adopted as a targeted rate on rural properties two hectares and above, and this was reviewed for the 2010/11 year. Waikato Regional Council acknowledges that the national Tb scheme is still undergoing its period of review and takes into account that the control of possums can provide synergies with our objectives of reducing the environmental effects caused by possums. With AHB unable to source additional funding for the vector control programme, the Waikato Regional Council is proposing to levy the rural ratepayers who benefit from and necessitate the vector control work.
This rate will apply to all properties two hectares or greater in land area. The revenue collected will be paid to the Animal Health Board to fund the region’s 10 per cent share of the costs of the AHB’s bovine Tb control programmes in the Waikato. Livestock properties will pay $2.29 per $100,000 capital value, while non-livestock properties will pay $1.56 per $100,000 of capital value.
Drainage rates
The drainage rates for Thames Valley, Waikato North and Waikato South, Franklin and Waikato areas provide land drainage in these areas.
Commencement of rating for drainage districts previously managed by Waikato District Council. The transfer aims to provide for more integrated and consistent management of the drainage and flood protection works in the region, and in this instance, within the lower Waikato.
The rate is set on a benefit classification basis using land area and depends on where the land is situated and the level of protection received.
You can download and view the current drainage brochure below:
Land drainage information brochure (195 kb, 27 seconds to download, 56k modem)
Passenger transport rate
This rate funds part of the cost of the Hamilton city urban passenger transport service. The rate is set on capital value basis on all properties within the Hamilton urban area.
Waihou-Piako Catchment targeted rate
The single catchment rate for community good (indirect) benefits and community responsibility (contributor). It is applied on a differential basis to reflect the different levels of catchment benefits within the area. It is funded on a capital value basis as that provides a better reflection of the value of the catchment benefits derived from the Piako River and Waihou Valley schemes.
Piako River targeted rate
This scheme provides flood protection, river management, land drainage and soil conservation in the Piako River valley. The scheme is funded by targeted rates (85 per cent) and the general rate (15 per cent).
The rate is set on benefit classification basis using land area and capital value. Land within the scheme is assigned to a layer - tidal flooding, river flooding, drainage, residential, industrial or commercial. Within each layer there are several classifications representing differential levels of benefit.
Waihou Valley targeted rate
This scheme provides flood protection, river management, land drainage and soil conservation in the Waihou River valley. The scheme is funded by targeted rates (85 per cent) and the general rate (15 per cent).
The rate is set on a benefit classification basis using land value. Land within the scheme is given a 'classification' corresponding to the level of benefit it receives from the scheme. These classifications are A-E Rural, G Non-rateable, and U1-U4 Urban.
Waikato-Waipa catchment rates (Project Watershed)
This scheme provides flood protection, river management, land drainage and soil conservation to the Waikato-Waipa River Catchment. The catchment includes the Waikato and Waipa rivers and the areas of land that drain into them.
The targeted rate is set on a benefit/contributor classification basis using capital value, land value, land area and direct benefit.
Each property is charged:
- a catchment differential based on capital value
- a contributor differential based on land value (except for hydro properties, which are based on capital value)
- a management zone differential based on capital value depending on which management zone the property falls into – Lower Waikato, Middle Waikato, Upper Waikato, Waipa or Lake Taupo.
- if within a direct benefit area, a differential based on area or capital value based on the level of benefit it receives.
West coast rate
To create a specific targeted rate to contribute to integrated river and catchment work and services for the west coast. The council believes that a split between capital value and a flat per property charge is most equitable. The per property rate is$21.63 and the capital value rate is$3.47 per $100,000 of capital value. That the targeted rate pays about 35 per cent of total costs and the general rate from across the region pays 35 per cent. The remaining 30 per cent is charged to landowners who have work done directly on their land.
Current services will continue at about the same level as 2010/11 year. Any future changes to the targeted rate would be largely determined by the community, depending on the work they would like done.
Peninsula Project rates
This scheme provides flood protection, soil conservation and river management on the Coromandel Peninsula. The rates are set on a benefit/contributor classification using capital value, land area, uniform charge and direct benefit. Every property in the scheme is charged a catchment rate based on capital value to fund 50 per cent of the catchment funding, and 50 per cent funded on a per property basis. Land may be charged a direct benefit differential based on an area, capital value or uniform charge based on the level of benefit it receives.
Natural heritage rate
This rate provides for protecting natural heritage areas within the region. The rate is set on a uniform basis and is applied to every rateable property within the region.
Protecting Lake Taupo rate
This rate provides for the protection of Lake Taupo. The region's 33 per cent contribution to the rate is set on a uniform basis and is applied to every rateable property within the region.
Biosecurity rate
Primarily, the need for pest control has shifted away from protecting agricultural production, and toward a greater emphasis on pest control for the general 'public good' of environmental enhancement and improving biodiversity across the region.
The rate is set on capital value, on a differential basis using equalised capital value and the location of the land within the Waikato region. The council believes this is an appropriate system because it reflects the region wide community benefits that pest control produces. Ultimately, what is most important in terms of equitable funding is why we manage pests, not where we manage them. For example, we have found alligator weed - a very serious pest plant - in urban gardens, in maize fields and in several lakes. Any outbreak of alligator weed is a major potential problem for the whole region and the response should be funded regionally.