Federated Farmers submission for New Plymouth District Council Long Term plan
Proposed increases in Uniform Annual General and Roading Charges (UAGC & UARC) are preferable to hikes in the general rate, Federated Farmers said in a detailed 9-page submission on New Plymouth District Council’s Long-Term Plan. These should be adjusted annually for inflation, not left unchanged for years – as has happened in recent times. (Too much reliance on the general rate results on those with a lot of land, such as farmers, paying more, especially as the general rate is calculated on land value, not capital value, in New Plymouth).
Feds supported increasing the small holding differential to 3.8%, phasing it in over three years to smooth the transition, and an option that decreases the commercial / industrial differential by 0.6% and the farmland differential by 0.2%.
We also supported rates remissions for Significant Natural Areas and areas under protective covenants