Remittance of Rates Penalties

Council sends rate demands to all ratepayers on a quarterly basis. The demand due dates are 3 months after the
demand is issued.

Once the three-month period has elapsed the bill is considered overdue. Letters are then issues to those ratepayers
who have not paid their bill and a penalty of 10% of the overdue amount it applied to the outstanding balance.

If the ratepayer settles the bill within 7 days of receipt of the notice Council will remit (refund) the 10% charge.
Council has the option to stop the refund process, once the bill is overdue the charge will remain on the account and
will need to be paid to bring the account back up to date.

Option 1: Council no longer remits (refunds) interest charges on overdue rate demands.
Once interest has been charged on an overdue rate demand the charge would stand. This would increase Council revenue from those ratepayers who do not pay their rates demands on time. The overall average decrease in rates would be 0.29%.

Option 2: Council continues to remit (refund) penalties where the rate payer pays withing 7 days of the overdue notice.
This is how Council currently operates and there would be on increase in revenue. There would be no overall change to rates.

Option 1 is the preferred option. This option provides a more consistent and transparent approach to the application of penalties on overdue rates, reinforces the importance of timely payment, and reduces administrative processes associated with remitting charges. It also generates additional revenue from those ratepayers who do not pay on time, enabling a modest reduction in rates across the wider community.

Changes to Pool Operating Hours

Council currently operates the Hokitika Pool across both summer and winter periods, with a combination of public
access and programmed use.

Summer operating hours (October to March) are Monday to Friday 6.00am to 6.00pm, and Saturday, Sunday and
public holidays 9.00am to 5.00pm.

Winter operating hours (April to September) are Monday to Friday 6.00am to 5.00pm, and Saturday, Sunday and public
holidays 9.00am to 5.00pm.

In addition to general public use, the pool is also used by organised groups outside standard closing times. Swim Club
operates on Sundays from 5.00pm to 7.00pm, Swim School operates Tuesday to Friday between 3.30pm and 5.30pm,
and Aqua classes operate on Thursdays between 5.15pm and 6.15pm.

This results in the pool remaining open beyond standard operating hours and requires additional staffing time to
support these activities.

Option 1: All pool users operate within standard opening hours

Under this option, all users would be required to vacate the facility at closing time, rather than finishing activities at that time. Programmed use outside of normal operating hours would cease. This would reduce staffing requirements and improve alignment between operating hours and resourcing. The estimated saving is $6,500, equating to an overall average decrease in rates of 0.02%. Savings are expected to be higher in practice, as unbudgeted staff time associated with extended hours would also be reduced.

Option 2: Council continues to allow use of the pool outside standard operating hours.

This reflects the current operating model, where user groups can operate beyond closing times. There would be no change to operating costs and no overall change to rates.

Option 1 is the preferred option. This would provide a more sustainable and consistent operating model, reduces unplanned staffing costs, and delivers a modest reduction in rates while maintaining public access to the facility.