Changes to fees and user charges in the 10-year Plan

Consultation has concluded

The 10-year Plan includes changes to fees and charges for some Council services. This is done through our Revenue and Financing Policy. This policy guides decisions on how to fund Council services.

What is the background to the changes?

Due to COVID-19, some fees were not increased for the 2020-21 year. This means that some fees have experienced higher increases in the current proposal, including significant increases for Parking, Building Control and Facilitation, and Waterfront Public Spaces. For example, there is a substantial increase in weekend and coupon parking rates to support Council’s journey to becoming a low-carbon capital. So in developing the 10-year Plan we have reviewed our fees and charges,

How do we set fees and charges?

Our Revenue and Financing Policy guides our decisions on how to fund Council services. We consider who benefits from a service (e.g. individuals, parts of the community or the community as a whole) to help determine how the service should be funded.

The policy also sets the targets for each Council activity indicating the proportion that should be funded from user charges, general rates, targets rates and other sources of income.

What ones will change and by how much?

We are proposing to change the following Council fees and user charges

  • Parking
  • Botanic Gardens
  • Waterfront public spaces
  • Sewerage collection and disposal
  • Arts partnerships

  • Sportsfields
  • Golf
  • Community centres
  • Recreation centres
  • Swimming
  • Marinas
  • Public health regulations
  • Burials and cremations
  • Waste minimisation
  • Building control and facilitation
  • Development control and facilitation
  • Network-wide control and management

Detailed information on the changes to fees and user charges can be downloaded here or from the document library on the right of this page.

Want to know more about the seven decisions? Head back to our Long-term Plan homepage or read our full consultation document

Or are you ready to have your say? Head to our Long-term Plan submission form

The 10-year Plan includes changes to fees and charges for some Council services. This is done through our Revenue and Financing Policy. This policy guides decisions on how to fund Council services.

What is the background to the changes?

Due to COVID-19, some fees were not increased for the 2020-21 year. This means that some fees have experienced higher increases in the current proposal, including significant increases for Parking, Building Control and Facilitation, and Waterfront Public Spaces. For example, there is a substantial increase in weekend and coupon parking rates to support Council’s journey to becoming a low-carbon capital. So in developing the 10-year Plan we have reviewed our fees and charges,

How do we set fees and charges?

Our Revenue and Financing Policy guides our decisions on how to fund Council services. We consider who benefits from a service (e.g. individuals, parts of the community or the community as a whole) to help determine how the service should be funded.

The policy also sets the targets for each Council activity indicating the proportion that should be funded from user charges, general rates, targets rates and other sources of income.

What ones will change and by how much?

We are proposing to change the following Council fees and user charges

  • Parking
  • Botanic Gardens
  • Waterfront public spaces
  • Sewerage collection and disposal
  • Arts partnerships

  • Sportsfields
  • Golf
  • Community centres
  • Recreation centres
  • Swimming
  • Marinas
  • Public health regulations
  • Burials and cremations
  • Waste minimisation
  • Building control and facilitation
  • Development control and facilitation
  • Network-wide control and management

Detailed information on the changes to fees and user charges can be downloaded here or from the document library on the right of this page.

Want to know more about the seven decisions? Head back to our Long-term Plan homepage or read our full consultation document

Or are you ready to have your say? Head to our Long-term Plan submission form

Consultation has concluded

Check the FAQ's above on the right of this page as well as other questions below - your question may already have an answer.

Please be concise and respectful in asking questions - we will do our best to respond promptly usually by the next working day). Some answers may take a bit longer to get the details right. We monitor the site from 8:30am - 5pm Monday to Friday

  • Is there ways to pay for Council services, by other means such as PayPal, Wepay, Alipay or by secure mobile payment terminals? Also, with regards to Resource consent applications, can we please look into trialling a liason with developers, builders and Council building and consent officers, to reduce and streamline e the consent process? Especially with regards to providing housing to the people of Wellington, like what has happened in Christchurch?

    ALofPalmyviaNewtown81 asked almost 3 years ago

    Kia ora 

    Here is the response for you:

    Our supported payment types are Internet or Phone banking; Direct Credit into the specified Council bank account; Credit Card on our website; In person at the sites and NZ Post for invoices; or Direct Debit for Rates.

    In regards to the consenting question: We do this already but only for high profile applications.  To do this for all applications would not be efficient. We have tried this previously and it actually lowers our customer service overall as it ends up holding up others.

    We have 3 types of pre-application meetings that the customer can choose –

    1. For basic general planning information, they can meet for 15 minutes for free (in reality these are often longer – 30 minutes is common).
    2. A standard pre-application which is with a planner and/or relevant advisors.
    3. A comprehensive pre-application where the planner and/or relevant advisors undertake a site visit as well as a meeting.


    Nga mihi

    Amy

  • Can you please advise how the new hourly rates for officer time processing resource consents has been justified/calculated please. Refer Section 6.2.2. Up from $155/hr to $201.50/hr

    BFL asked about 3 years ago

    Kia ora BFL, 

    Here is the answer from our Finance team. 

    Outcome 6.2.2 ‘s total expenditure have increased due to mainly to the increase in costs of external planners and other technical advisors to process resource consents and the proposal to include Noise control activity in this outcome as the activity is governed under the RMA. As a result, officers propose in the LTP to reduce the RnF policy to 45% users fees : 55 % rates and  fees will need to increase from $155/ hour to $201.50 to comply with the new policy.

    Nga mihi 

    Amy


  • Is the 'Arts Partnerships' Leases event hire or offices? Which organisations/groups does it affect? Thanks, N

    nic lane asked almost 3 years ago

    Kia ora nic lane

    This refers to the Toi Poneke office and studio rooms hire. 

    Nga mihi

    Amy

  • Has any analysis been done on the proposed increase in parking charges? I doubt very few residents would pay $4.50 per hour at the weekend. If this proposal goes through WCC could well end up with reduced revenue as more folk head to the malls for free parking. Please also quantify the impact on the CBD businesses who could end up with fewer customers/patrons. Thank you

    Nicola Cranfield asked about 3 years ago

    Kia ora Nicola, 

    Sorry we have been delayed in responding. Here is the answer from our parking team. 

    In August 2020 the Council adopted a new Parking Policy. This Policy will help the Council to respond to the challenges of a changing and growing city. The proposed increase in parking charges were determined following extensive community consultation on the short and long term needs of Wellingtonians. Parking occupancy in the central city hovers over 80% during peak periods and the proposed changes provide a new approach to setting parking fees in response to supply and demand. Fee increases are likely to encourage short-stay parking, freeing up spaces for more people to visit more local businesses. This approach also encourages the public to explore alternative modes of transport and supports our shared goal of becoming a net carbon neutral capital by 2050.

    Nga mihi

    Amy

  • What are the assumptions made around reducing cost and 'red tape' to building more houses (in the context of a housing crisis)? I can't see how the council are building this into the plan (except water infrastructure isn't sufficient to support population as it is!). The resource consent team already seem to have too much time on their hands with little to no value added in most cases?

    Crali884 asked about 3 years ago

    Kia ora Crali884,

    Here is a response from our Consenting and Compliance team.

    Council has initiated many improvements to systems and processes in recent years to make it easier to do business with Council. The Resource Consent team is currently dealing with very large consent numbers and has been over the last few years. Business improvements continue to be made to ensure that we can continue to provide a good service and meet our statutory obligations. We consistently have more than 90% customer satisfaction rate from Resource Consent applicants. Council administers legislation passed by Central Government as effectively and efficiently as possible to ensure that we meet our Statutory obligations.

    Please let us know if you have any other questions. 

    Cheers, 

    Amy

    consents,fees
    consents fees

  • What do you think the impacts of increasing all the building consent fees is going to have on the development or Wellington’s urban housing ? Is it going to contribute to the housing crisis by making it tougher for people to better their homes? How is increasing the cost of coupon parking and pay and display parking benefiting Wellington city as a whole ? Do you think your proposal is going to encourage an even bigger divide between minorities and the rich and powerful in Wellington ?

    KV asked about 3 years ago

    Kia ora KV

    Here is an answer from our Consenting and Compliance team for the majority of your questions. I will add in the answer to the parking question when it comes through. 

    It is not expected that the increase in fees will have a significant impact. For a residential build cost of $500k, the current fees are $4,114 for a standard building consent. This fee would increase to $5,223. The increase as a percentage of the total build cost of $500k moves from 0.8% to 1.0%. 

    The increase of fees and charges reflect ongoing operating and significant public indemnity insurance cost increases that the consenting service has experienced. Together with the growth in demand for our services, these increases will assist us to maintain a high level of service to our customers. 

    The last time we increased fees was in FY 2017/2018. 

    Please let us know if you have any other questions

    Cheers, 

    Amy

    consents,fees
    consents fees