Tauranga City Council has approved a rates increase of about $500 per property over the next three years.

The first step, approved at yesterday's council meeting, was for a 10.9 per cent rates increase for residential properties.
The general rate was struck at $0.001442 in the dollar of capital value on all rateable units with the city. The uniform annual general charge is $570 and the water charge for the next year is $1.40 per cubic metre.
The rates were set following the adoption of the Long Term Council Community Plan, after the plan's official approval by audit manager for Audit New Zealand Taryn Crewe.
The draft plan was originally deemed economically unsustainable by Audit New Zealand, which is now satisfied the process was transparent and had the required degree of community involvement.