Council Strikes Rates For 2011/2012

The Marlborough District Council will take in 3.19% more in rates revenue from Marlborough ratepayers this year compared with last year.

Mayor Alistair Sowman says the council worked hard to keep the rates take as close as possible to the rate of inflation.

Councillors managed to hold rates down in the face of significant budget pressures including such things as rising insurance premiums and fuel costs, he said.

“Councillors appreciate we have been going through difficult economic times and we must hold the line on costs but they have also acknowledged our responsibility to invest a little bit into the Marlborough of tomorrow,” said Mr Sowman.

The council confirmed the rate when it formally adopted its Annual Plan for 2011-12 last week. Adding on central government’s GST increase takes the average increase in rates to 3.75%.

Different geographic areas will be affected differently.

Council’s list of benchmark properties shows a typical increase in urban Blenheim will be just over 5% while for a remote Marlborough Sounds property the increase will range from 0.5% to just under 3%.