By John Freer

Ratepayers across the Coromandel Peninsula are going to have to find a way to cover between an 11.8 to 14 percent increase in rates for the coming 12 months.

Across the entire district the average increase will be 11.4 percent.

In a breakdown the biggest proposed increase will impact on Mercury Bay, ratepayers there having to stump up a further 14 percent. Thames ratepayers face a 13.7 percent increase, Tairua-Pauanui 12.9 percent, Coromandel-Colville 12 percent and Whangamata 11.8 percent.

The dollar impact is averaged at a $396 increase across the district, this based on the 11.4 percent proposed rate.

Rates are set under the proposed 2023-2024 Annual Plan which ratepayers and residents now have the opportunity to have their say on.

The consultation process opens on March 14 and continues until April 10.

In releasing the information, Mayor Len Salt, today said on the council website that a major focus was on repairing the roading damage and keeping communities connected.

He said Government funding was being committed to repairs but he said it wont pay for everything.

“So now we have the challenge of trying to balance rates, while we rebuild and make our district resilient to the more frequent extreme weather and effects of climate change,” says Mayor Len.

“Together we’re going to have to make some tough decisions about where and what we spend on, in the next 12 months. Please get involved and have your say,” said Len.