30 January 2020
Media: Rotorua-based Local Democracy Reporter
Topic: Late rates payments
Enquiry
This is for a story I am writing about about late rate payers.
It's a good opportunity for the council to remind late rate payers once again that their rate payments are (over)due - so perhaps if we got a number on how many people had sorted their rates between the 6th and the 17th of January, that could help give it that strong timeliness too.
Could you please provide me with:
- The number of current (January 6 2020) outstanding rates payments due (and if different, number of individuals/businesses with outstanding rates payments) and the total owed
- The oldest currently outstanding unpaid rates bill, how much is owed, and other details you may be able to provide such as the original bill, its initial due date, and the number of times a 10% late payment penalty has been applied
- How many over-payments on rates have been claimed in the last 12 calendar months, the total amount repaid and the total administration fees applied to those?
- How many times in the last two years (from Jan 1 2018 - Dec 31 2019) has the council forced late rates payment through mortgages/banks/finance companies? How much has been claimed in this way during this period?
- Has the council ever applied to the High Court for an order to sell or lease a property to recover rates? If so, how much was recovered, in dollar figures?
- Does the council employ anyone specifically to 'chase rates' - that is track down late payers and endeavour to procure payment? If so how many people are employed in this?
- Beside from the overdue rates themselves, approximately how much does late rates cost the council each year(that may be time and expense tracking down late payers, or lost income from interest)?
Any other relevant information you may wish to provide.
Response
The number of current (January 6 2020) outstanding rates payments due (and if different, number of individuals/businesses with outstanding rates payments) and the total owed
Out of 28,660 ratepayers (individuals and businesses), there were 1829 unpaid rates accounts as of 6/1/2020 - amounting to $6,424,153.86.*
*Please note these totals change daily.
26,831 ratepayers had paid as of 6/1/2020 - amounting to $106,284,236.
Instalments fall on February 20th, May 20th, August 20th, November 20th
The rating year runs from 1st of July each year until the 30th of June the following year.
The oldest currently outstanding unpaid rates bill, how much is owed, and other details you may be able to provide such as the original bill, its initial due date, and the number of times a 10% late payment penalty has been applied
The oldest outstanding rates bill amounts to $51,774.41 (total including penalties).
Penalties have been applied 65 times over a number of years.
This has remained unpaid since 2009. Initially the bill was for $336.53 per quarter. Or $1346.12 for that year.
Over the 11 years there have been 65 total penalties accumulating to $37,941.80.
This figure will change each quarter as the quarterly instalment is added to the rates. The Instalment Penalty is calculated on the outstanding amount of the instalment only, it is only the arrears penalty that charges penalty on a penalty.
How many over-payments on rates have been claimed in the last 12 calendar months, the total amount repaid and the total administration fees applied to those?
$332,960.23 in 334 transactions over the last 12 months in refunds for over payments.
$1825.00 in 73 of these transactions over the last 12 months for admin fees
How many times in the last two years (from Jan 1 2018 - Dec 31 2019) has the council forced late rates payment through mortgages/banks/finance companies? How much has been claimed in this way during this period?
Rotorua Lakes Council sent 797 ratepayers/properties to the mortgage holders (banks) which equated to $672,498.43 for the 2018/2019 year. 2019/2020 data is still being processed.
Has the council ever applied to the High Court for an order to sell or lease a property to recover rates? If so, how much was recovered, in dollar figures?
Yes,one property proceeded to the high court last year. $29,335.82 was recovered.
Does the council employ anyone specifically to 'chase rates' - that is track down late payers and endeavour to procure payment? If so how many people are employed in this?
Yes, two staff members.
Beside from the overdue rates themselves, approximately how much does late rates cost the council each year (that may be time and expense tracking down late payers, or lost income from interest)?
$166,00 per annum - being 2 staff members and debt collections costs.
Any other relevant information you may wish to provide.
Please refer to the annual plan for additional information which is publically available.
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Media: Rotorua Daily Post
Topic: Visions of a Helping Hand plans to extend services for homeless
Enquiry
Since this response (See previous enquiry and response HERE) I understand Tiny has had a meeting with the council and various community leaders about the koha shed, consultancy rooms, laundromat and showers for the homeless.
I was wondering if I could get a comment from council about its thoughts on this development? Do you believe it will make a large difference for the homeless in the city? Will council get involved at all?
Tiny Deane said the council were "thrilled" and planned to get behind the development, is this true?
Will Mayor Steve Chadwick likely be attending the grand opening in a couple months time?
Response
The reporter was informed that a Council staff member and MSD representative met with Tiny to hear his ideas about a range of topics relating to homelessness however they were not supplied with any plans to review or support.
