Following Tararua District Council’s announcement last week that we have discovered a faulty process for recalculating direct debit payments of rates that dates back to 2018; we want to provide our impacted households with an option to pay back the arrears incurred through our error at a time in the future. In order to provide this option, Council needs to develop a Rates Postponement Policy. We have drafted this policy and we are now seeking public feedback before we finalise it.

We would like to invite all ratepayers to give your feedback. The Statement of Proposal provides information on the background and details of the Rates Postponement Policy. Both documents can be viewed online or you can pick up a hard copy at our Customer Services Centres. We are keen to hear whether you think what we have suggested will work. You will need to give your feedback by Sunday 20 October 2024. If you would like to speak to Council in person about your feedback, we will be holding public hearings on 4 and 5 November 2024.

To share your feedback, go to www.tararuadc.govt.nz/property/direct-debit-adjustments

We take responsibility for this error as a council and offer our deepest apologies. We will be conducting a thorough investigation into how the faulty process has occurred and we will put a robust process in place to ensure such an error can never happen again.

Across the district, there are:

602 households impacted:

• 281 ratepayers whose rates are in credit
• 321 ratepayers whose rates are in arrears

If you think you may have been impacted please call our Customer Services Team on 06 374 4080 or 06 376 0110 or email info@tararuadc.govt.nz