Auckland Council’s Finance and Performance committee has recommended consultation during the 2016/17 Annual Plan process on the following issues:
• additional rates remissions for Maori freehold land to better reflect restrictions on use and sale
• lowering rates for farm and lifestyle properties over 50 hectares
• options for the level of the UAGC ranging from $350 to $650 per year
• changing the share of the interim transport levy paid by business and residential ratepayers
These recommendations will now help inform the Mayor who is due to present his proposal to the committee on 8 December.
Committee Chair, Councillor Penny Webster says that the decisions have shown where council thinks the direction of the Annual Plan should be set.
“We had an honest, frank discussion on some of the issues that we think should be part of the Annual Plan process, and that discussion and the recommendations will now help feed into the Mayor’s thoughts before he makes his proposal in December,” she says.
“We know that the council is in good financial shape, but we would like to hear from Aucklanders on these important issues to help guide our thinking when making final decisions on the budget next year.”