Whakatāne District Council’s fees and charges are set to change from Friday, 1 December after consultation with the community.
The proposed increases were largely a result of inflation, rising interest rates, and cost pressures affecting Council activities.
Whakatāne District Council’s General Manager of Strategy and Transformation Steven Perdia said community feedback was incredibly important during this review.
“Councillors read submissions and listened to presentations at hearings which called for fairness and consistency, and we’ve made changes to the initial proposal based on this feedback.”
Increases to sports field rental were of particular concern for the community, and in response Council has reduced some of the rental rates that were initially proposed.
Council will charge a consistent ‘per field’ rate from 1 December 2023 with the following discounts:
• 50% discount for every subsequent field
• 50% reduction in fees and charges for school use
• 75% reduction in fees and charges for short-season sports including twilight cricket and summer soccer.
“Council is committed to supporting healthy and active communities. We’ve listened to the pressures that clubs are under, and we hope this discount will relieve some of these pressures,” Mr Perdia said.
Airport charges were another area of contention, and after receiving feedback from two airport user groups during hearings, changes have been postponed. Further engagement will be undertaken with the Airport User Group at a later date and approval sought from the incoming Minister of Transport.
“We have significant costs to cover to provide these facilities and services, and a decision must be made as to how these costs are recovered.
“Some user fees and charges are based on a ‘user-pays model’ where the person or group benefitting from the activity or service pays to cover the cost.
“In other cases, fees and charges are subsidised by general rates, especially if there is a greater element of public good. But in most cases, it is a mix of the two,” said Mr Perdia.
“These increases are important changes which will ensure better financial stability for Council and help future-proof the services and activities that make the district a great place to live, work and play.”