Rates information for 2025-26

You can now see online your rates forecast for the next year in the Western Bay of Plenty district. For most urban residents, the increase will be 3-4% this year. For others it is higher, with the average increase just under 9%.

Why so high an average increase and why so in an election year? The simple fact is that there is a big clean up going on at the council, from the after-effects of exiting a poorly organised roading contract, to sorting out serious financial software issues and keeping up with rapidly expanding costs for our core waters infrastructure.

The past three years have felt like whack-a-mole as councillors work hard to get a handle on costs at the council, only for new ones to keep coming out of the woodwork. Rather than put off problems, we have chosen to face them as the issues will only get worse if we delay sorting them out.

This year's plan includes staff reductions and other savings to help turn the ship around.

The next three years will be challenging too, in a new way. The carving off of the district’s waters assets (whatever form that takes) will leave us with a much smaller council that will need to completely rethink its core role. 

It is abundantly clear that this council cannot carry on “business as usual” if we are to serve our residents and ratepayers effectively and efficiently.

The attached picture shows sample changes in rates for a range of property types. You can also see this on the annual plan page linked below.

You can check your rates bill change for 2025-26 here: https://www.westernbay.govt.nz/.../property-and-rates-search

You can read the official council press release on the 2025-26 annual plan here: https://www.westernbay.govt.nz/council/news-and-updates/news?item=id:2umvm5u481cxbylvjjmh

You can read the plan here (and watch the video of the meeting were we adopted it) here: https://www.westernbay.govt.nz/.../annu.../annualplan2025-26