“Our income has not increased in 20 years and has had a lot of ups and downs.” A lower UAGC increases the overall rates of higher value properties while reducing them for lower value properties. Legislation allows councils to change the UAGC, currently set at 25 per cent, as long as it and other targeted rates don’t exceed 30 per cent of the total rates revenue. The proposal, included in the council’s Long Term Plan Consultation Document 2021-31, seeks to reduce the UAGC to as low as 22 per cent for 2021-22 and to as low as 16 per cent by 2024.
LUKE KIRKEBY/Stuff