Greater Wellington Regional Council to consider impact of proposed rates rises

Greater Wellington Regional Council has decided to reconsider its rates proposals for 2019-2020 in view of their potential impact on some communities in the region.

Substantial rises in capital values for property, such as a 44 per cent increase in Wellington City, could have the impact of imposing greater rate increases in some areas than others. Council has chosen to consider these impacts further before finally setting rates.

Council will discuss options at its next meeting in early April.

However, it has confirmed that public transport fares would be held at current levels for at least the next year.

Greater Wellington's plan reflects big escalations in insurance costs, new bus services, zero bus and train fare increases and funding of all the major programmes contained in its Long Term Plan.

"It's been our consistent position that we must minimise the impact of rates on regional ratepayers," said Council Chair Cr Chris Laidlaw.