Your rates explained

The Animal Pest Control rate is charged on rural properties 4.0468 hectares (10 acres) and above. This helps fund programmes to control rooks, possums in rural (PCA) and urban (HuB) programmes, advisory services for rabbit control, subsidised possum control products for ratepayers, and the support of community biodiversity groups.

For full programme descriptions go to Pest Control.

This rate is charged to all ratepayers as a Uniform Charge. This rate helps pay for a range of activities to benefit our communities by meeting regional civil defence and natural hazard management preparedness, resilience and response needs.

For full programme descriptions go to the HBCDEM website.

This rate is charged across the region and funds economic development initiatives as set out below.

The rate is made up of:

• 70% funded by commercial/Industrial Rating Units based on the Capital Value;
• 30% from residential and rural Rating Units as a Uniform Annual Charge.

In line with the Regional Economic Development Strategy 2011, the Regional Council has committed to supporting the following key outcomes:

• Visitor growth through the Regional Council administration support plus direct funding contribution of Hawke’s Bay Tourism.
• Business growth and attraction through the Regional Council support and funding of Business Hawke’s Bay, support of other regional initiatives and the Regional Council management of the Callaghan Innovation R&D grant initiative (Regional Business Partner). 
• Supporting resilient primary sector growth, including improved supply chain linkages, productivity improvements from irrigation, developing Maori agribusiness and primary sector opportunities in the Wairoa district.
• Other activities include regional economic reporting and collaboration with national economic development agencies.

The main purpose of the Flood Control schemes is to provide protection from flooding from the major rivers up to the design standard, nominally a 1 in 100 year return period event. Hawke’s Bay Regional Council provides flood and drainage protection and management in a number of areas around the region. Rates are based on either the land or capital value of a property.

Within scheme areas, there is also provision for the maintenance of the stream capacity by keeping specific waterways clear.

Find full scheme descriptions on our Flood Control Schemes page.

More detail about the schemes below can be found here.

These rates together are the ‘General Funding’ rates that support the community based activities that the Regional Council provides in the region.

• The General Rate is charged on a Land Value (LV) basis.
• A separately used or inhabited part of a rating unit includes any portion inhabited or used (by the owner/a person other than the owner), and who has the right to use or inhabit that portion by virtue of a tenancy, lease, license, or other agreement.This definition includes separately used parts, whether or not actually occupied at any particular time, which are used by the owner for rental (or other form of occupation) on an occasional or long term basis by someone other than the owner.

General Funding rates pay services provided by the Regional Council across the entire region, such as governance, strategic planning and regulation.

This Clean Heat Targeted Rate is charged only on ratepayers with property within an ‘air shed’ and is based on land value. If this item is not on your rates bill, your property is outside the airsheds.

An air shed is a legally designated zone in Napier, Hastings and Awatoto where research shows air quality needs improvement. Like all other regions in New Zealand, Hawke’s Bay must meet the National Environmental Standard (NES) for air quality set by the Ministry for the Environment. Currently PM10 concentrations in Napier and Hastings on cold clear winter nights exceed this standard and this rate assists people to install insulation and clean forms of heating.

Find more information on our sustainable homes programme pages

The Plant Pest Control rate is charged on rural properties 4.0468 hectares (10 acres) and larger. This helps fund biosecurity advisory services for property owners/ occupiers for controlling pest plants listed under the Regional Pest Management Strategy  or other plants outside this strategy, for health, productivity, biodiversity and land drainage benefits. The rate also contributes to weed biological controls.

For full programme descriptions go to Pest Control.

This rate is charged only on urban ratepayers in Napier, Havelock North, Hastings, Clive and Bay View, to help provide bus services in and around the cities. Bay View residents are not charged for this service.

As well as this rate, public transport is paid for by fare-paying passengers, and the NZ Transport Agency funding. These services are managed by the Regional Council and operated by GoBus Transport Ltd.

This rate also covers the Total Mobility Scheme which provides subsidised taxi travel to assist Hawke’s Bay residents who are unable to use public transport due to a significant, permanent impairment.

Find out more on our transport pages.

Napier and Hastings ratepayers will pay a new targeted rate to meet the cost of planning for coastal hazard management. A predicted sea level rise of up to 1.5 metres over the next 100 years will require major changes to the protective structures and intervention along our coast so we will need to pay for the preparation planning. Find out more at HB Coast.