Hutt rates rises almost lowest in country

Hutt residents enjoyed the country’s lowest rates increases during the past decade – beaten only by ratepayers on the Chatham Islands.

The average annual increase for Hutt ratepayers was 4 per cent, according to revised figures released by the Department of Internal Affairs in its Better Local Government report. Rates in the Chatham Islands fell by 3 per cent.

Chief executive Tony Stallinger says the result is all the more pleasing given that Hutt and Upper Hutt city councils paid for construction and operation of the $70 million wastewater treatment plant during this period.

He says the 4 per cent average is a vindication of the council’s prudent approach towards borrowing and careful control of spending. Additional savings of $1.5 million have been found to enable the proposed average rates increase of only 1.8 per cent for the next financial year.

The department’s report showed Upper Hutt, Greater Wellington and Porirua averaging 5 per cent and Wellington City Council and Kapiti averaging 6 per cent.

“These are good results for councils in the region, as they are all below the average increases throughout the rest of the country,” he says.

Auckland’s various councils, now merged into a super-city, averaged 8 per cent during the 10-year period.