Uncategorized
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Wrong Demographic? Our Just the wrong answer?
KCDC have recently run two surveys of residents’ opinions, with one having 56% of the responses from older people (over the age of 60), and one with 61% of the responses from older people. Why is KCDC taking a contradictory stance on the reliability of the respective survey results? Last week we reported on the…
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THE AMALGAMATION CLOCK HAS STOPPED – IS THERE A BRIGHT SIDE ?
In an announcement that was predictable, the Government has confirmed that it will postpone its self-set deadline of September 30th 2026 to give initial approval of valid Head Start amalgamation proposals. After imposing a narrow three-month process on Councils to come up with proposals aimed at restructuring local councils into unitary authorities with amalgamation of…
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TOO MANY VIEWS. TOO MANY ‘WRONG’ PEOPLE? WHAT IS KCDC GOING TO DO WITH ITS SURVEY?
We attended yesterday’s Council meeting to hear what Councillors made of the recent survey on priorities for the next Long Term Plan — the plan that will help determine your rates for the next three years and beyond. What we heard raised some serious questions. More than 70% of respondents supported principles such as “live…
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THE RULES HAVE CHANGED. WILL KAPITI COUNCIL CHANGE WITH THEM?
The Local Government (System Improvements) Amendment Bill has now passed its third reading, and has become law — signalling a clear shift in direction for local government. The changes make it clear the purpose of local government is to focus on the provision of infrastructure, public services and regulatory services (such as dog control) –…
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WHY RATES CAPPING IS NEEDED NOW
Our opinion piece sent to Kapiti News which includes reference links for those wanting to delve deeper RATES CAPPING IS NEEDED NOW Chris Harwood, Chair, Concerned Ratepayers Kapiti Concerned Ratepayers Kapiti is a voluntary local community group, formed in 2024, working for fair and sustainable rates on the Kapiti Coast. We also advocate for open…
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Sophie Handford Statement on Local Body Amalgamation
Last week we published Tim Costley’s response to our letter to him on the possibility of a forced amalgamation with the rest of the Wellington region. Tim is the current MP for Otaki and is the National Party candidate for the new Kapiti electorate. In the interests of balance, we invited the Labour Party candidate…
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NZ FIRST ON RATES CAPPING
Followers will have seen our recent report of what Shane Jones of NZ First said at a recent public meeting about local government amalgamation. We didn’t have the chance at that meeting to ask a question about rates capping, and so we asked the NZ First candidate for the Kapiti electorate, Penny Gaylor, whether (1)…
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AMALGAMATION: SHANE JONES OFFERS LOCAL CHOICE — BUT WITH A WARNING
If Councils don’t come to the amalgamation party, someone else will do it for them At a recent meeting in Kapiti Jones stated that NZ First’s preference was for each region to come to a conclusion that worked for the majority of people in a region. His stated preference was to replicate the approach used in the…
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LOCAL MP TIM COSTLEY’S RESPONSE TO OUR CONCERNS AROUND A FORCED MERGER
Last week we wrote to Simon Watts, Chris Bishop and local MP Tim Costley outlining our opposition to any suggestion of a forced merger with the wider Wellington and Hutt Councils (you can read our letters HERE). Even though the Kapiti Coast District Council has been clear it does not support a merger with those…
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RATES CAPPING CONFIRMED — BUT NOT UNTIL JULY 2029
Local Government Minister Simon Watts confirmed that the Government will proceed with its rates capping policy if re-elected in this year’s election. He is on record as saying that the average amount households would save is only $34 a year. We know that this is not an accurate figure for the vast majority of households in Kapiti…
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LUXON DOES NOT RULE OUT FORCED AMALGAMATION WITH WELLINGTON
At a public meeting last Wednesday, National Party leader Christopher Luxon was asked by Councillor Bede Laracy if a government led by him would force Kapiti into a merger it didn’t want with Wellington. (Earlier in the meeting Luxon has highlighted what a terrible job the Wellington City Council had been doing). When Bede Laracy…
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LABOUR REFUSES TO TAKE A POSITION ON RATES CAPPING
On Monday 10 August we attended a Labour Party meeting where Kapiti electorate candidate Sophie Handford and Labour Party spokesperson for Local Government, Tangi Utikere. We questioned their position on amalgamation – we have already posted on this – but we also asked where Labour stands on rates capping. The answer? Labour currently has no…
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AMALGAMATION: KAPITI MUST HAVE A SAY
Concerned Ratepayers Kapiti (CRK) has been closely following the Government’s proposals for possible local government amalgamation. It is time to outline our position: we are open to amalgamation — but not amalgamation for amalgamation’s sake. Any new arrangement must: ✅ Deliver a net financial benefit to Kapiti ratepayers✅ Keep rates and spending under control✅ Provide…
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LABOUR REFUSES TO RULE OUT FORCING KAPITI INTO AN AMALGAMATION WITH WELLINGTON
On Monday 10 August we attended a Labour Party meeting where Kapiti electorate candidate Sophie Handford and Labour Party spokesperson for Local Government, Tangi Utikere, spoke about amalgamation. We came away with some important questions — particularly for Kapiti. 🔹 Labour is not opposed to amalgamation. It opposes the Government’s current process and its speed,…
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GET INVOLVED NOW – OR FACE HIGH RATES INCREASES EACH YEAR FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS
Opinion Piece – Kapiti News, 15 July 2026By Chris Harwood, Chair, Concerned Ratepayers Kapiti A few months ago, the Kapiti community voted in local government elections; to elect people you trust on to Kapiti Coast District Council to make decisions on your behalf. The next major stage of community participation is now – it’s time…
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Councillors Commit Kapiti Community to Rates Increases of 30.4% in 3 years
We didn’t really expect any other outcome last Thursday when Council met to vote on the Annual Plan and the 6.5% average rates increase, but we turned up regardless and some of our committee members spoke personally, and on behalf of others, about the hardships the increase will have for many in the community. You…
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NORTH KOREA WOULD BE PROUD – KCDC Claims Credit for ALL Kapiti Growth
A few days ago we published an article about how KCDC claims all of the credit for the commercial success of Major Events in the district – such as the Kapiti Food Fair. We pointed out that this was dishonest. But more importantly, making such a claim is so disrespectful of the time, energy, financial…
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Kapiti’s Mayor fudging the truth as rates levels are biting hard
Press Statement 5 June 2026 A recent Infometrics report for the Kapiti Coast District Council (KCDC) shows that all the rates paid by Kapiti’s households take up 5.8% of their median household incomes, yet recent reporting by Mayor Holborow says that rates are only 4.8% of median incomes. But she is quoting only the KCDC…
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KCDC SHOULD STOP TELLING PORKIES ABOUT THE IMPACT OF ITS MAJOR EVENTS FUND
Followers of Concerned Ratepayers Kapiti will know that we’re not the greatest fans of the Council’s Economic Development programme. It costs you $3 million a year and we’re doubtful (to put it kindly) of the results that this spending will generate. So, we are always interested when the Council publishes information with the Council’s estimates…
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HEY KCDC – WE KNOW WHAT YOU’RE DOING!
Kapiti Coast District Council is clearly proceeding with a deliberate three-pronged strategy, which consists of: Let’s sit tight and hope we’ll get a change of Government in November. Let’s hope that a new Government will reverse what’s coming out of this current Government, so that we can keep on with high rates and “business as usual”…
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ARE KAPITI’S RATES THE LEAST AFFORDABLE IN NEW ZEALAND?
Read our press statement below to find out …….. it’s a bit shocking!! “New analysis shows Kapiti’s rates less affordable than all major cities in New Zealand A recent Infometrics report for the Wellington City Council shows that Wellington rates were amongst the least affordable in New Zealand. But a new analysis by Concerned Ratepayers…
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open letter to council calling for an urgent rethink of the proposed 2026/27 rates increase
Kapiti households are already stretched to breaking point — rising living costs, a worsening fuel crisis, and rates up over 35% in recent years. Now, Council is planning to pile on even more. We’ve sent an open letter to Council calling for an urgent rethink of the proposed 2026/27 rates increase. Ratepayers are cutting back,…
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2026 Annual Plan – KCDC Loses Control of its Costs – Again – And WE Are The Ones Who Pay
📣 PUBLIC MEETING – Sunday 1st March Concerned about rising rates? Wondering what’s really going on behind the numbers? Come and hear what hasn’t been clearly explained — and why it matters to you. This is your chance to understand the process, ask questions, and decide for yourself whether this is good financial management —…
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When Councils Cry Foul: What’s Really Driving Rates in Kāpiti?
Kapiti’s mayor, Janet Holborow, wrote an article in The Post over the long weekend complaining about one of the current Government’s most popular policies, rates capping. Her basic argument – see https://www.thepost.co.nz/politics/360932799/rates-capping-wont-fix-whats-really-driving-costs – is that Councils are the hapless victims of cost pressures outside of their control, burdened by changes in Government policy and “…
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Kapiti Ratepayers: Big Decisions Are Coming — and We’re Paying Attention
We hope you managed to slow down, reset, and enjoy some quality time with family and friends over the Christmas–New Year break. While many were recharging, Concerned Ratepayers Kapiti has kicked off the year with our first meeting — and there’s no shortage of big issues already on the table. Here’s what we’ll be focusing…
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A constructive and encouraging meeting with Council — but still plenty of work ahead.
On Wednesday, Mayor Janet Holborow, Deputy Mayor Martin Halliday, and Councillors Bede Laracy and Liz Koh met with us to discuss the briefing we sent in November. The discussion was thoughtful, respectful, and engaging — a positive sign that Council is willing to listen and consider community perspectives. However, while the tone was encouraging, we…
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The devil is in the detail — Getting Serious About Affordable Rates
Back in November, we sent the newly elected Kāpiti Coast District Council a detailed briefing laying out a practical pathway to more affordable rates, stronger financial discipline, and genuine community engagement — not just slogans, but workable solutions. Here’s what was in it 👇 📉 Making rates affordableWe called for rates to be capped at…
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BRIEFING TO THE NEW COUNCIL
A couple of weeks ago we provided the newly elected Kāpiti Coast District Council with a comprehensive briefing on how the district could move toward more affordable rates, better financial management, and genuine community engagement. The briefing called for: Rates Affordability: Capping rates at no more than 5% of median household income, with average annual increases held…
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COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT – LET’S MAKE IT BETTER
One of the biggest themes to come out of the recent election was how Council engages with the community. Many candidates agreed that consultation often starts too late — after key options have already been decided — making public input feel tokenistic. Common ideas for improvement included: Involving the community earlier in planning processes Using…
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Inflation hits at 3% — but rates are still rising nearly three times faster.
Stats NZ’s latest figures show annual inflation at 3%, right at the top of the Reserve Bank’s target range. Yet across New Zealand, local authority rates jumped 8.8%, making them one of the biggest drivers of inflation. (read the article here) When household budgets are under pressure and core inflation is still a challenge, a…
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🚨 THE COUNTDOWN IS ON! 🚨LESS THAN A WEEK LEFT to have your say in the 2025 Local Elections.
❓ Still undecided? Here’s how to get more insights to the candidates: ✅ CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE – see how candidates answered our 15 key questions (full responses + summaries) ✅ KCDC CANDIDATE PROFILES – check out the official list and search candidates on Facebook/web to learn more. ✅ MAYORAL DEBATE – watch it now and see…
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CRK & THE MEDIA – Sunday Star Times article
We recently received detailed questions from the Sunday Star Times about our group’s origins, affiliations, and activities. Some members of the media and community are especially interested in how groups like ours are connected and organiSed. While these enquiries are a normal part of public scrutiny, at times they can shift attention away from the…
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MEET THE MAYORAL CANDIDATES
Only a few days to go until our very first Meet the Candidates evening! We’ve been busy preparing clear, easy-to-read summaries of the questionnaire we sent to every candidate. The full responses are on our website, along with a summary of the 15 questions and responses, but here is a short snapshot with 4 of…
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RATES CAP UPDATE
About a month ago we contacted the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) about the work they were doing for the Government on rates capping. We expect that KCDC – alongside many other Councils who are members of Local Government NZ – would be campaigning against rates capping, and we wanted the ratepayer’s voice to be…
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Helping You Make Informed Voting Decisions with Candidate Responses
We’ve been busy pulling together the results of our candidate questionnaire. You can now read the responses on our website 👇 🔗 www.concernedratepayerskapiti.org 👉 Note that not every candidate responded (and a few couldn’t be contacted because no details were provided via KCDC). We know choosing who to vote for isn’t always easy — so…
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Strong Turnout for Final Public Meeting Before the Election
Thanks to everyone who came along on Sunday 3rd August for our final public meeting before the local body elections. We had another fantastic turnout and an engaged, thoughtful audience. Kathryn delivered an insightful presentation on the key public issues shaping our district. With her deep experience as an independent senior international development consultant—specialising in…
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Public Meeting sunday 3rd august
Please join us for the last of our series of public meetings prior to the local body elections.
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CANDIDATES FOR THE KAPITI COAST LOCAL BODY ELECTIONS
Nominations opened on the 4th July – we will be listing candidates for all aspects of the Local Body Elections for the Kapiti Coast as they come to hand. If you, or someone you know, is standing and we don’t have their details please let us know and we will add them as soon as…
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A Buzz Is Building Around This Year’s Local Elections!
There’s huge interest in the 2025 local body elections — and one of the best ways to get informed is to see and hear directly from the people putting their names forward. From 14th August to 2nd October, a full line-up of “Meet the Candidates” events is planned across the district — giving you the…
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JUST RELEASED: Community Funded Peer Review of Kapiti Coast flood hazard management reports
Coastal Ratepayers United (CRU) have just released the peer review conducted by Dr Willem de Lange. Back in May we wrote on why an independent peer review of Flood Maps is Crucial, in early June wrote a piece on Flood Modelling and Ratepayers: a crisis of confidence and supported CRU’s endeavours to commission an independent…
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An almost full house – ratepayers turn up for change
Over 80 passionate and concerned residents packed the Waikanae venue on a beautiful Sunday afternoon — proof that our community is ready to take a stand. Our presentation sparked real engagement, along with some shock and disbelief as we laid out the hard facts about where your rates are going. Those who attended were appreciative…
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Intergenerational Debt and Council-Owned Assets: Who Pays?
A Technical and Social Analysis of Kāpiti Coast District Council’s Debt Policy and Optimal Strategy Introduction Intergenerational debt is central to how councils like Kāpiti Coast District Council (KCDC) fund, maintain, and renew large, long-lived public assets. The method and pace of debt repayment determine which generations bear the cost for assets that serve the…
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Adoption of the Annual Plan and what that means for our rates
This year, the Council decided to roll the rate rise into the Annual Plan, with Mayor Janet Holborow saying it wouldn’t be a good use of ratepayers’ money to consult on the increase (but apparently there’s still money for non core-activities, fringe donations and partnerships—just saying). On the 29th May, a member of Concerned Ratepayers…
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Join us at our next Public Meeting Sunday 15th June
Happy with your rates increase and council performance?Rates are rising fast — let’s talk about where the money’s going and what we can do about it. Join us on Sunday 15th June, 3pm at the Waikanae Community Centre – bring a friend, a family member, a neighbour. Share this email or you can download the…
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Flood Modelling and Ratepayers: a crisis of confidence
The Promise vs. The Track Record Kapiti Coast District Council is asking ratepayers to trust their latest flood modelling exercise – a sophisticated computer simulation using “advanced modelling techniques” and climate projections stretching to +3.7°C of warming. The maps look impressive, the technology sounds cutting-edge, and the scientific methodology appears robust. But there’s a fundamental…
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Why an Independent Peer Review of Flood Maps is Crucial
Kapiti Coast District Council has recently released updated flood hazard maps that could significantly impact property owners, insurance, and mortgages across the region. Council is currently engaging with ratepayers through drop-in sessions and an online “have your say” portal until the 8th June. The proposed changes have raised serious concerns about their accuracy and fairness,…
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Taking a Pause: Where Have Our Rates Gone?
This week, we’re hitting pause to recap just how your rates have been spent-and to reflect on the performance of the Council Executive and Councillors who back these decisions. With a 7% rates hike coming (and no real consultation!), Mayor Holborow claims it’s due to areas such as higher infrastructure and maintenance costs. But is…
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ANALYSING KAPITI’S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SPEND: Who Really Pays?
By popular demand, we have summarised how this initiative is working and is planned to work (fail?). KCDC plans to spend $31 million on economic development over 10 years—the money is used to fund a group of people who distribute money out as grants for local organisations, events and other economic initiatives. Think Otaki Kite…
