Rates-related policies

Community, Sporting and Other Organisations

To facilitate the ongoing provision of non-commercial community services and non-commercial recreational opportunities for the residents of Stratford District.

The purpose of granting rates remission to an organisation is to:

• Recognise the public good contribution made by such an organisation; and
• Assist the organisation’s survival; and
• Make the membership of the organisation more accessible to the general public, particularly disadvantaged groups. These include children, youth, young families, aged people, and economically disadvantaged people.

Council will also consider a remission on the 50% water or 50% wastewater targeted rate for organisations that meet the criteria.

Penalties

To enable the Stratford District Council to act fairly and reasonably in its consideration of rates which have not been received by the Council due to:

• Compassionate grounds ie, where a ratepayer has been ill, in hospital or suffered a family bereavement or tragedy of some type, and has been unable to attend to payment (eg, elderly persons living on their own). Or if the ratepayer satisfies Council that they had the ability to pay, however late payment was due to circumstances outside the ratepayer’s control, therefore they were unable to come into council to make payment.
• Rate invoice not received, where it can be proved that it was not due to negligence.
• A deceased Estate, upon letter from a Solicitor who has been granted probate.
• Where a property changes hands and the invoice went to the previous owner/lessee.

UAGC - Low Value Properties

To assist residential ratepayers whereby the UAGC being imposed on properties with a Capital Value of $15,000 or less represents an excessive burden in any one financial year.

UAGC - Non-Contiguous Rural and Commercial Properties Owned by The Same Owner and Used for a Single Purpose

To provide relief for bare rural or commercial land, which is non-contiguous but operated as a single entity and owned by the same ratepayer.

Council Owned and Occupied Properties

To enable the Stratford District Council to be cost neutral in regards to other ratepayers whilst being administratively efficient.

Postponement for Land Affected by Natural Disasters

To assist ratepayers experiencing extreme financial hardship as a result of a natural disaster. A natural disaster is considered as including, but not necessarily limited to, flooding, earthquake damage or a storm.

Property made Uninhabitable due to Fire

To provide relief where significant property loss has occurred due to fire (not deliberately lit by the owner, occupier or related party) causing the property to become uninhabitable, or the commercial property to cease operations, temporarily or otherwise.

Māori Freehold Land Policy

To ensure the fair and equitable collection of rates from all sectors of the community recognising that certain Māori owned land has particular conditions, features, ownership structures, or other circumstances which make it appropriate to provide relief from rates.

Rate Postponement on Māori Freehold Land Policy

To facilitate the development and use of the land for economic use where the Stratford District Council considers utilisation would be uneconomic if full rates were required during the years development and establishment.

Business Development

This provides for rates relief for new development or redevelopment of land by way of constructing, erecting or altering buildings, fixed plant and machinery or other works intended to be used solely or principally for industrial, commercial or administrative purposes where the cost of such development is more than $1,000,000 (excluding GST) as assessed under the Building Act.

Excess Water Consumption Due to a Leak

To enable Council not to penalise a water consumer for a leak that resulted in excess water consumption that was out of their control.

Water Targeted Rate as Compensation for Water Easement

To provide compensation for the ratepayers that have a water main across their property and associated easement agreement that provides for such remissions. This remission may be granted in future easement agreements as part of a compensation agreement if appropriate. The Remission is for the Targeted Water Rate only and the water-by-meter charges remain subject to the Revenue and Financing Policy.

In order to provide a Water Targeted Rate Remission the following must apply:

• Compensation agreements must be in writing and formal easements recording them registered against the relevant title.

Water or Wastewater Remission for Serviceable Properties

Council will consider a remission of the 50% water and/or 50% wastewater targeted rate for properties where services do not go past their property, but is within the distance requirements to be serviceable, and there are acceptable provisions in place for water and/or wastewater

Rates on Abandoned Land

To minimise administration costs where it is unlikely that rates assessed on an abandoned rating unit will ever be collected.

Biodiversity

To preserve and promote the protection of an area of indigenous vegetation or a significant habitat of indigenous fauna.