Several councillors joined Mayor Gurunathan in making a case to Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) regarding the “Excessive rates increase”  on behalf of Kapiti residents.

“Greater Wellington Regional Council has proposed a 6.7 percent average rates increase across the region in 2018/19, but this amounts to a 14.1 percent average increase for Kāpiti residents,” Gurunathan says.

“GWRC has not considered the affordability of its rates for Kāpiti residents.  With some of the highest levels of deprivation in the country and many retirees on fixed incomes, we have serious concerns residents in some areas will not be able to afford the new rates.”

KCDC offers support for low-income ratepayers that are having a hard time paying, with up to $200,000 budgeted for relief next year.

Mayor Gurunathan says that lack of equity for Ōtaki ratepayers is also a real concern, given the limited public transport services available to them.

Other issues that council mentioned in the submission were the lack of public transport north of Waikanae towards Levin and that rate increases be put in place over 10 years, rather than 3.