New levies bump up rates bills

New levies for debt retirement and earthquake strengthening mean Wanganui ratepayers will fork out a little more than usual for their rates bill this year.

The Wanganui District Council recently sent out this year's rates bills, with the first payment due this month.

The council this year introduced an earthquake strengthening levy of 0.5 per cent as well as a debt retirement levy of 1.5 per cent.

The levies bring the average rates increase for the Wanganui district to 6 per cent this year.

That's also the exact rates increase an average household in Wanganui East, with land value of $64,000 and capital value of $175,000, will face this year.

For the average Wanganui East household, the rates bill this year will go up by $107, from $1775 to $1882.

That household will pay $11.40 for earthquake strengthening and $14.90 for debt retirement.

The most expensive single item on this year's rates bill is community facilities, for which the Wanganui East household will pay $738.40.

Community facilities include things such as parks and reserves, libraries, galleries and theatres, the airport and community halls.

General rates - including items such as economic development, governance and waste minimisation - have had an increase of about $11 this year.

The rates increase of 6.9 per cent is higher for an average property in Springvale, with a land value of $84,000 and a capital value of $230,000, up by $146 from $2113 to $2259.

A Springvale household will contribute the same as the Wanganui East household towards earthquake strengthening, but $39.30 for debt retirement.

Community facilities costs are the same for both properties, but the Springvale household will pay just over $100 more than the Wanganui East household for general rates.

A spokeswoman for the Horizons Regional Council said Wanganui residents would receive their Horizons rates bill at the end of August.

The Horizons rates for the Wanganui district have increased by 2 per cent this year.