Waipā’s fees and charges are reviewed annually and updated when required to better reflect the true cost of providing services as outlined in our Revenue and Financing Policy.

These fees and charges recover the costs of delivering services with private benefits. So, things like dog registration, building consents through to the cost of a registering food and beverage premises, which all benefit the person concerned rather than all ratepayers, are charged individually instead of being funded from rates.

Apart from a few minor adjustments, most of our fees and charges have remained the same. However, we are proposing some changes.

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Hearings

If you wish to speak to your submission in person, Council is planning to host hearings on 2 May 2023 (or as soon as possible thereafter) either in person or online. Submitters wishing to be heard must have clearly stated this in their written submission. These submitters will then be contacted to arrange an appropriate time on the hearing date.

Significant proposed changes at a glance

The following information is taken from the Statement of Proposal, which summarises the Schedule of Fees and Charges 2023/24.

Most fees and charges for 2023/24 remain the same from the previous year. However, increases of up to 5 per cent have been added to some fees to reflect cost increases.

Draft fee increases are shown in red and decreases are shown in green in the Schedule document.

  • Building Control

    Two new fees are proposed for multi-unit dwellings of less than, and greater than, 250m2; erecting a marquee larger than 200m2 has been added to minor building works; increases in fees that require building control officer time; decreases for most fees for project information memoranda to correct a previous error.

  • Kerbside recycling

    Wheelie bin charges increase due to the increased costs of contracts.

  • Libraries and Library Community Space

    Removal of all overdue charges following your feedback last year; removal of the bond for venue bookings; a reduction of some charges to align with similar charges at other Council venues.

  • Public Places and alcohol control bylaws

    Mainly small increases to reflect the increases in staff costs.

  • Regulatory – Other fees and charges

    Small increases in land information memoranda costs to reflect the increases in staff costs.

The following areas will also see small increases to reflect increases in staff costs:

  • Stormwater connections
  • Trade waste
  • Traffic Management Plan reviews
  • Utility access requirements
  • Wastewater connections
  • Water connections and bulk water sales

The draft Fees and Charges, all inclusive of GST, will take effect from 1 July 2023.

Reason for changes to the Fees and Charges

The purpose of reviewing the fees and charges is to ensure that each charge will recover the actual and reasonable costs associated with:

  • Goods, services or amenities provided by Council.
  • The issuing or monitoring of permits, inspections and other approvals associated with Council’s bylaws and legislation.
  • Processing and making decisions in relation to resource consents, plan changes and designations, and fulfilling certain other regulatory obligations under the Resource Management Act 1991.

Council’s Revenue and Financing Policy provides information on various funding sources and the rationale for the use of each funding source. Typically, where a service or activity is intended to benefit an individual customer (e.g. a dog registration benefits an individual dog owner, or a resource consent benefits the individual applicant), Council will apply a fee to cover the cost of delivering that service.