The establishment of regional services fund for surf life saving, Coastguard and rescue helicopter services has been proposed by the Waikato Regional Council.

The council is proposing to collect a per property rate of between $2.07 and $3.74 which would spread the cost of helping to fund life saving services available to everyone in the Waikato.

The establishment of a regional services fund to spread the cost of funding life saving services like the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust has been proposed by the Waikato Regional Council. Photo: File

The proposal is one of three included in the regional council's 2016/17 Annual Plan consultation document which is now out for public feedback.

WRC chair Paula Southgate explains the fund would replace grants local councils may already be providing.

'A regional rate will streamline the collection and distribution of monies to these life saving services and enable local government funds to be delivered in the most effective and efficient way,” she says.

'In response to submissions we received last year and ongoing discussion with the Waikato Mayoral Forum, we've worked together to develop the three options we're consulting on.

'But we really want to hear what our residents and ratepayers think of this proposal.”

The three options being considered each propose a different rate with the money generated split between Coastguard, Surd Life Saving NZ, The Auckland Rescue Helicopter and the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter.

Tairua Surf Life Saving Club. Photo: File

Under option one, ratepayers would be charge $2.07, raising $350,000 in total. Coastguard would receive $100k, SLSNZ $250k, while no funding would be given to the Auckland and Waikato rescue helicopters.

Option two would see ratepayers charged $2.37, raising $400k. Coastguard again would receive $100k, SLSNZ $250k, with the Auckland and Waikato rescue helicopters receiving $25k each.

While under option three ratepayers would be charged $3.74, raising $630k. Coastguard would receive $175.5k, SLSNZ $354.6k, with the Auckland and Waikato rescue helicopters each receiving $50k.

Thames-Coromandel mayor Glenn Leach says the district council supports option three as the other two don't fund the Auckland Rescue Helicopter to the level which the TCDC already does under its 2016-17 budget ($50k).

'We also want to acknowledge and thank these organisations for the commitment and service they provide to people who either live or visit our District,” says Glenn.

Currently TCDC funds SLSNZ $132k annually for three years and the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust $25,000 for 2015/16 and $50k for 2016/17.

This comes out of the Uniform Annual General Rate which equates to $6.42 per ratepayer. There has also been grants made to Coastguard over the years.

For more information or to make a submission visit the Waikato Regional Council's website: www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/annualplan.

All submission must be received by 4pm on Monday, April 11.

Coastguard carrying out a rescue in the Firth of Thames in March of last year. Photo: File