Sign In / Register
Mangawhai ratepayer organisation, Mangawhai Matters Society (MM), says it is “extremely disappointed” by what it says is a lack of transparency over Kaipara District Council’s (KDC) 21.4 per cent increase in Mangawhai’s targeted stormwater rate.
KDC formally adopted its Annual Plan last month after elected members voted to reduce the general rates increase from 7.9 per cent to 3.9 per cent for 2026/27 and agreed to fund roading renewals of up to $2.45 million through debt rather than general rates due to cost-of-living pressures.
Despite publicising the lower increase, examples published in the newly-adopted KDC Annual Plan show that while general rates have been lowered, Mangawhai’s targeted stormwater rate has increased from 0.0005879 to 0.0007140 per dollar of land value, meaning many Mangawhai residential properties will face total rates increases of between 4.7 per cent and more than seven per cent, depending on the value of their land.
MM chairman Doug Lloyd says the society campaigned to reduce rate increases on behalf of residents and is disappointed to find that many Mangawhai ratepayers will still face substantially higher increases due to the elevated stormwater charge.
He says the increase will come as a surprise to many residents.
“Without Mangawhai Matters pushing for this general reduction, the overall rates for Mangawhai would have been another four per cent or an increase of an average of 11 per cent, with some as high as 14 per cent,” he says.
According to council, the increase in the stormwater targeted rate for the coming year is due to previous capital investment in Mangawhai’s stormwater network, with interest and repayments on loans now “kicking in”.
“It is mainly capital expenditure driving the increase. Interest and repayments on loans are now kicking in for last year’s Wood Street stormwater upgrade and Breve Street stormwater improvements, which were both debt-funded,” a KDC spokesperson says.
“There is also a small increase in operational expenditure due to more repairs and maintenance planned. We are also funding higher depreciation because our asset values are increasing, and we need to set aside more for future replacements and renewals.”
Council also confirmed the planned $700,000 of Mangawhai stormwater improvements for 2026/27 will be funded through development contributions rather than the stormwater targeted rate, with more capital works also planned.
Lloyd is questioning why the stormwater targeted rate continues to be calculated based on land value and says many residents will be asking why it is not charged in the same way as some other targeted rates.
“With capital being spread over future years for roading, MM asked council if the same could be done for stormwater. The answer given was that deliberations were too late in the process and couldn’t be done to comply with statutory timelines,” he says.
When asked whether council should have communicated the impact of the stormwater increase on Mangawhai ratepayers more clearly before adopting the Annual Plan, council said the 3.9 per cent figure represents the average increase across all ratepayers in the district and is not intended to reflect the increase individual properties would receive.
“By definition, an average means some properties will see an increase above that figure and some will see an increase below it, depending on factors such as property location, valuation changes and the targeted rates that apply to that property,” the spokesperson says.
“The examples included in the Annual Plan were provided to show how rates impacts can vary for different property types and locations.”
With many Mangawhai residents now facing rates increases well above the district-wide average of 3.9 per cent, Lloyd is concerned about what this might mean for next year’s rate increases.
“KDC is funding capital works from debt and not rates in order to keep rates down. With a huge amount of capital projects planned for roading again, it won’t be easy next year either.”
