55822 (2025). Tangi Utikere to the Minister of Local Government

55822 (2025). Tangi Utikere to the Minister of Local Government: What definition of “essential services” will the Government use for the purposes of determining the minimum annual rates increase permitted under the proposed local government rates-cap regime, given that the Government has stated a minimum increase is required so councils can continue providing services such as rubbish collection, road maintenance, and management of parks and libraries?

Hon Simon Watts: The rates cap does not provide restrictions on how councils spend their rates revenue.