Business improvement district targeted rates reduced

As part of developing its new rating policy Auckland Council has been updating and improving the property valuation data for the 517,000 properties that it uses for setting rates. This is complex because it is held across the multiple former council rating systems.

“As part of our checking and validation process leading up to the rates strike, extra properties were identified as liable for BID rates. As a result, the calculation resulted in rates that were too high and would have seen properties that are part of Business Improvement Districts paying too much. Unfortunately this was not identified in time to correct the council resolution setting the rates,” says Finance Manager Kevin Ramsay.

“The error was picked up after the Long-term Plan was adopted. We have worked quickly to remedy it so that accurate notices can go out in early August.”

Council is required to give 14 days public notice of its intention to reset the BID targeted rates. The governing body will formally do this on 7 August.

Council consulted on its new rating policy through the Long-term Plan 2012/2022 and is not required to consult on this matter further.

BID schemes allow businesses to vote collectively to invest in improvements to enhance their local area. Council then collects a targeted rate from the businesses and works with them to implement improvements.