Rates in the Western Bay of Plenty will increase on average 4.1 per cent this year.
The rate was struck this week in conjunction with the Western Bay of Plenty District Council signing off the Long Term Plan.

The plan sets out a 10-year work programme, totalling $332 million.
The increase means the council collects $26.6 million in rates over 2009-2010 compared with $25.04 million last year.
Inflation of 2.55 per cent is included, leaving the real rates increase of 1.55 per cent, says Western Bay of Plenty District Council Mayor Ross Paterson.
The average rate increase is 0.94 per cent less than the 5.04 percent average increase last financial year.
'Council has worked extremely hard to balance the needs of ratepayers and the requests of submitters with the demand to keep rate increases to a bare minimum in the tough financial climate - and to ensure council does not exceed its acceptable debt limits,” says Ross.
While the average rate has increased by 4.1 per cent, ratepayers in the Western Bay face additional targeted rates, including uniform annual charges and annual charges. These charges vary among the communities, depending on the level of service and infrastructure provided, such as wastewater, storm water and roading.
The adoption of the Ten Year Plan also introduces capital value rating, which will in future be used to calculate the general rate.
The land value rating will be kept for the roading rate, which makes up about 60 per cent of total rates collected on property values.
The remaining 40 per cent will be rated under capital value. The change to capital value rating also reinstates rural works charges of $267 for rural properties and the commercial/industrial differential of two on the roading rates.

Where the money will go
Projects in the ten year plan include the $15.2 million wastewater scheme for Maketu and Little Waihi.
The scheme is one of the largest commitments in the Ten Year Plan. It will include the resource consent costs for a pipeline across the estuary to allow Pukehina to be connected later in the year.
A start will be made within the next two years to address environmental issues caused by septic tank run off.
The scheme includes a wastewater treatment plant at Arawa Avenue, Maketu, with reticulation from all 65 properties in Little Waihi and the 524 properties at Maketu.
The scheme will be subsidised by 85 per cent - $10.5 million from central government and $2.1 million from Environment Bay of Plenty. This will leave $2.6 million to be funded by council and charged over the two communities through a uniform annual charge of $641 plus GST, per property. This is subject to final design and tender costs.

Te Puke recycling
A recycling and green waste centre is to be established in Te Puke to cater for the eastern end of the Western Bay district. The centre is planned for next year and the council is assessing tenders for its operation.
The centre will be partially funded through Waste Minimisation Act levies that come into force this month.
Eastern Bay of Plenty residents will also pay through a targeted rate. The recycling centre will bring the eastern end of the district in line with recycling facilities offered in Katikati, Waihi Beach and Omokoroa.

Pool study
The council approved $25,000 for a feasibility study for the replacement of the Te Puke High School pool. This will be funded from $300,000 set aside for the Te Puke Aquatic Centre, funded by financial contributions.

Water meters
Water meters will be installed in Omokoroa, Tanners Point, Ongare Point and Te Puna West. Water meters will be installed across the rest of the district from 2013–2019.

Road sealing
Gravel road sealing will continue at 10 km per year until 2012, when the rate will be halved to five km a year from 2013-2019. The seal extension criteria will be reviewed in 2010/11.

Cycle and walking tracks
Council will budget $100,000 per year for implementing a walking and cycling strategy and to include the long-term vision of a Regional Cycling Project within this strategy.