Mayors Memo

 

Kia ora, 

Phone lines to Council have been running hot this month. Firstly, to our surprise and delight callers have taken the time to give praise for recent grading and heavy-metalling work on the local road network. Thank you for the encouragement and noticing improvements are starting to show. By all accounts such calls to Kaipara District Council are as rare as hens’ teeth. 

More commonly, callers have building consent questions or seek explanation about matters such as their new rates notices which were sent out at the end of July. There’s a degree of confusion in some parts of the community about how a 4.97% KDC average rate increase can translate into what could be a 25% increase in someone’s rates payable. Simply, there are different components of your total rates bill, some of which are decided by KDC (that’s the 4.97% part) and some which KDC neither controls nor influences: Northland Regional Council uses KDC as collection agent for its rates; every three years council must undertake a valuation of all properties. Changes in land value can and do have an effect on your total rates invoice. Quotable Value’s technical calculation has shown significant increases in some areas of the district. In future, as valuations shift then expect changes which will, again, be beyond KDC’s control. Remember, your rates bill may be changed more by technical than political decisions.

Still on the subject of rates, on this week’s Council agenda is the six-monthly report of Crown Manager Peter Winder who’s been defending for us the principle that all rates should be paid.  As you may be aware, on 6 August the Supreme Court ended any further appeals on one of two remaining pieces of rates litigation involving KDC. This means the definitive legal judgment from our courts is that both Kaipara District Council and Northland Regional Council rates and penalties are valid and must be paid. I look forward to the small number of ratepayers who still have outstanding rates and penalties dating as far back as the 2011/12 year paying up what they owe and allowing us all to focus on the future.
Fresh breezes across Kaipara District are blowing away some of the cobwebs of the past. Green shoots for spring, maybe?

Two last chance opportunities for you coming up soon:

Representation Review public drop-in sessions have been attended by more than 100 community members so far, most of whom say ‘it makes sense’. The final drop-in will be at Kaiwaka at 12-1pm on Tuesday 28 August, but the information on proposed Council representation changes (including new ward for Kaiwaka-Mangawhai) is on www.kaipara.govt.nz website. Have your say!

Citizens Awards nominations close at the end of August, so now’s your last chance to nominate a hard-working volunteer or citizen who makes a great contribution to life in Kaipara. Remember that, as perfectly described in the Maori whakatauki, the kumara doesn’t talk of its own sweetness – so you’ll have to do the nominating for them. Sweet as!

Finally, I was really proud of the strong Kaipara volunteer spirit to help save the two whales on Ripiro Beach. Sadly the forces of nature were against us and the whales could not be saved; not this miracle, not this time. Still, the compassion, concern and commitment of so many was just the right kind of ‘ordinary Kaipara-ness’ for this extraordinary event, and I couldn’t be more proud. pic.twitter.com/GYLkT7ZAjO

Nga mihi nui, Jason