The Finance Group is responsible for the smooth running of the Council’s business activities, financial reporting to managers, elected members and the community, and administering rates.

Rates

Rates are set annually according to the Opotiki District Community Plan and Annual Plan and billed quarterly.  Water rates are billed bi-annually.  As part of the rating process, the Council operates a Rates Remission Policy which may be applied under specific circumstances.

These cover:

• Unoccupied, under-utilised or inaccessible Maori freehold land
• Economic Development initiatives
• Land used for historic, cultural or conservation purposes
• Land affected by natural disasters
• Ratepayers impacted by extreme financial hardship.

 Contact the Council’s Rates Officer for further information on rates or remissions.

 Property Database

The District’s Property Database is maintained by the Finance Group and provides some interesting facts.

The District’s boundaries encompass over 3,000 sq km of which, 70% is unrateable (50% because it is Department of Conservation land and 20% for other reasons).  However, unrateable land makes up just over 5% of the District’s Capital Value of some $1.5 billion.

The District contains 5,800 individually titled properties, about 600 of which are not rateable (DOC land, Schools, Marae, Churches, etc).