Waitaki district councillors plan to review during the next 12 months the limit on future rates increases.
Yesterday, the council approved its 10-year long-term plan and a rates cap of the Consumer Price Index (CPI or inflation) plus 5%. This is the first time the council, along with all others in New Zealand, has had to set a rates cap.
Councillors yesterday also approved reviewing the cap as part of next year's annual plan process, a motion put forward by Mayor Alex Familton, who is not satisfied with it.
Mr Familton has already made his personal view known that the rates cap is too high.
Other councillors have a similar view.
Mr Familton said the cap was "too loose to be called a cap".
The council had done "extremely well in recent years" by holding rates increases to about 4%, and its long-term plan indicated an average rise of 3.6% through the 10 years.
This year's increase of 6.5% was because of exceptional circumstances, he said.
Cr Kevin Malcolm, while supporting reviewing the cap, said it should not be at the expense of existing services, nor restrict the council from implementing major projects wanted by the community.
