Error could boost Akaroa rates 30%

Press, 3 October 1985, Page 8

Error could boost Akaroa rates 30%

Akaroa township ratepayers might find that their total rates bill rises up to 30 per cent this year because of a clerical error by the Akaroa County Council. A rate increase of 19.43 per cent has been publicised by the council, but after a separate rate for a sewerage loan is included the increase is closer to 30 per cent. A wrong figure had been used in calculations during the preparation of comparison figures between 1984 rates and 1985 rates for the Akaroa township, said the Deputy County Clerk, Mr Tony Cole, yesterday. The error had been acknowledged by the County Clerk, Mr Lyn Graham, in a report to the Akaroa Community Council earlier this month, said Mr Cole. The mistake resulted from using the “rates received” figure for 1984-85

in the comparisons, rather than using the amount of rates struck, Mr Cole said. The amount received had included more than $20,000 owing from the previous year.

In addition, the council levied a separate rate for repayment of its sewerage loan. This amounted to a 6.4 per cent increase in the general rate, said Mr Cole.

Including the sewerage rate, and the toilet pan fee, ratepayers in the township might find they had to pay a rates increase of up to 30 per cent. Mr Cole said that the council was “embarrassed” about the error, but the percentage increase had not been the “main determining factor” when approving expenditure for 1985-86.

“Given the amount of I pruning the councillors had already done on the budget,

they would have been hardpressed to cut back much more,” said Mr Cole. Mr Graham ' was not available for comment yesterday. He reported to the community council meeting earlier this month that the error was “most certainly regretted.” Mr Graham apologised also to the community councillors for the position in which they had been placed. The main concern now

was that steps should be taken to indicate clearly to ratepayers the actual increase, he said. Mr Cole said that the council had not yet received irate calls from ratepayers, although some people had telephoned to query their rates before the error had been discovered.

Township ratepayers had until February 14, 1986, to pay their rates, said Mr