News Breifs for August 26 2008

Dog registrations due.
Almost 1300 dogs were still to be registered with Thames-Coromandel District Council with only a few days to go before penalties are charged. Owners have until Sunday 31 August to get their dog registered at a cost of $60 before a penalty fee of $30 is added to the bill. There are approximately 3675 dogs in the district. Payment can be made at any council office or by posting a cheque to 515 Mackay St, Private Bay 1001, Thames.

Steady improvement in emergency readiness
Coromandel Peninsula residents are steadily getting the message that their households have to be prepared for Civil Defence emergencies, but there is still a long way to go. Thames-Coromandel District Council reports the number of households that say they are prepared has risen to 51 per cent in a recent survey - up from 46 per cent last year and 45 per cent in 2006. Emergency preparedness means being able to take care of you and your family for up to three days. How to do this is explained on the Council's website at www.tcdc.govt.nz/CivilDefence/Be+Prepared/. The council is currently working with other agencies to finalise Emergency Management Committees around the peninsula to better provide a response to Civil Defence disasters.

New valuers for Thames-Coromandel District
Quotable Values has been appointed by the Thames-Coromandel District Council as the official valuers for rating purposes. General rates assessed in the district are determined by the land valuation, although the council has approved a change to capital value rating next year, subject to signoff in the council's 10-Year Plan, currently under development.

Rates rebates figures similar to last year
So far some 1485 applications for rates rebates have been processed for 2008/09 - marginally up from 1475 last year. In monetary terms, ratepayers will receive $697,551 in rebates this rating year, compared with $691,253 last year. The percentage of ratepayers receiving rebates so far this year is equivalent to 5.7% of the total rating database. The council originally estimated there could be between 2000 and 2500 ratepayers eligible for rates rebates or up to nearly 11 per cent of all ratepayers. Eligible ratepayers can continue to apply for a 2008-09 rates rebate until June 30, 2009. More information about who is eligible and how to apply can be found at www.ratesrebates.govt.nz. As well as the rates rebate scheme TCDC also offers a rates postponement scheme for over 65s. More information on this scheme can be found at
www.tcdc.govt.nz/Services/Rates/Rates+Postponement+Scheme/Default.htm.