SOLD OUT Funding and Rating Forum

About this event

Overview

This Forum is for those who work in, or need to know about, the mission critical field of funding and rating.

As always, the Forum is an exciting blend of theoretical and practical presentations that mix the policy and practice of funding and rating.

This year, we showcase the key points from the upcoming Taituarā guidance on conducting an effective rating review. The value of this guidance and session will be felt about half an hour into your next review (around the time that you get the first of many proposals for a ‘fairer’ rating system).

We’ll look at the changes to the law around the rating and valuation of Māori land that will affect every local authority in the country. We'll cover off the fundamentals - who, what, how much and by when.

We’ll explore the vexed issue of rating commercial accommodation providers, be they as big as the Hilton or as small as Joe’s Bed and Breakfast. There’ll be some learning from the experiences of those who are doing it and those who are attempting to do it.

We’ve been looking at local authorities use of fixed rates and we'll have some interesting findings to share.

And, as always, there’s the usual updates on legal issues, valuation issues and Taituarā matters.

Who should attend:

• Finance Managers
• Revenue Managers and Team Leaders
• Rating staff
• Legal staff
• Anyone with an interest in funding and rating issues

Programme

Day One Monday 9 October

10.00am Welcome to the Forum and Icebreaker
Raymond Horan, Manager Sector Improvement, Taituarā

10.20am Reform of the Rating and Valuation of Māori Freehold Land
Raymond Horan, Manager Sector Improvement, Taituarā

While it appears that pre-election enactment of the Te Ture Whenua Māori Amendment Bill will be touch and go, the rating and valuation content is not one of the points at issue. This is a comprehensive reform of the law relating to the valuation and rating treatment of Māori freehold land as one of the enablers. The resulting package of reforms affect every local authority in the country to some degree. This session will explain what the proposals are, what they mean for your local authority and what takes effect from when.

11.15am Morning Tea

11.30am The Do’s and Don’ts of a Rating Review
Stephen Halliwell, Principal, Working Smarter

Working Smarter was the lead agency that delivered the recently released Taituarā guidance on undertaking an effective rating review.This session will focus on the key aspects of keeping a rating review on the path to a useful conclusion.

12.30pm Valuation Update
Neill Sullivan, Valuer-General, Land Information New Zealand

The annual update on developments in our tax base including:

• development of new rating valuations rules focusing on data requirements as moving rating valuation data specifications to align with the digital age not the manual one
• the valuer’s perspective on the Te Ture Whenau Māori Act and its implications for rating valuations
• development of a digital rural rating valuation land mapping tool for use across New Zealand
• observations from the 2016 revaluation cycle; market trends in 2017
• and much more.

1.20pm Lunch

2.00pm Marketplace of Information – Session One

Choose one from:

A. SUIP and Targeted Rate Issues – led by Raymond Horan, Manager Sector Improvement, Taituarā
Defining SUIPs (including making the line calls), making the policy decision to go for a targeted rate, creative use of targeted rating powers, maintenance of the necessary RID information and other issues with targeted rates.

B. Rate Review Issues – led by Stephen Halliwell, Principal, Working Smarter
An opportunity to further explore, discuss and query matters from Stephen’s presentation at 11.30am.

C. Māori Land Rating and Valuation Issues - led by Birthe Siems, Revenue Accountant, Gisborne District Council

An opportunity to further explore, discuss and query matters from the 10.20am presentation.

2.50pm Changeover

2.55pm Marketplace of Information – Session Two

Choose another one from the topics listed below.

A. SUIP and Targeted Rate Issues – led by Raymond Horan, Manager Sector Improvement, Taituarā
A repeat of the 2.00pm session.

B. Rate Review Issues – led by Stephen Halliwell, Principal, Working Smarter
A repeat of the 2.00pm session.

3.45pm Afternoon Tea

4.00pm A Word from Our Sponsor - Ibis Information Systems

4.30pm Fixed Rates – Separating Fact from Fiction
Raymond Horan, Manager Sector Improvement, Taituarā

There’s a lot of urban myths circulated about local authorities' use of fixed rates (that is uniform annual general charges and targeted fixed rates). For example, there are local authorities that quite legitimately pull in more than 50 percent of their rates revenue from these sources. Raymond has looked at the use of fixed charges in a sample of 50 local authorities and has some interesting thoughts to share.

5.15pm Networking Drinks

7.15pm Conference dinner sponsored by Ibis Information Systems

Day Two Tuesday 10 October

8.45am Welcome to Day Two

8.50am Taituarā Update
Raymond Horan, Manager Sector Improvement, Taituarā

The annual update on all of Taituarā’s good works, including an update on the progress of the Business Performance Working Party which has responsibility for this event and for Taituarā’s other work in rating, funding and financial matters.

9.20am Rating of Commercial Accommodation – A Panel Discussion
Andrew Duncan, Manager Financial Policy, Auckland Council
Nicola Berghaus, Senior Advisor Finance, Auckland Council
Jonathan Salter, Partner, Simpson Grierson

The commercial accommodation sector is both large and complex, ranging as it does from a luxury resort like Millbrook, to Joe’s Bed and Breakfast. Their demand for local authority services can vary from very little to an amount equal to a small town. This session is a panel that puts all of the issues on the table and gets you sharing some ideas as to how to tackle them.

10.15am Morning Tea

10.40am Marketplace of Information – Session Three

Choose one from:

A. Rating Information Database and Valuation Roll Issues – led by Toni Wilkinson, Revenue Manager, Taupo District Council

B. Rates Rebate Issues – led by Raymond Horan, Manager Sector Improvement, Taituarā

C. Collection and Enforcement Issues – led by Birthe Siems, Revenue Accountant Gisborne District Council

11.30am What's all this digital talk about?
Duncan Reed, QV, Chief Data Officer
Automation, predictive analytics, machine learning, block chain……and rating? There is a digital transformation underway and different innovations transforming how people apply property data and insights and a lot of buzz words linked to these. QV is investing in the next generation technology that will allow us to provide councils with greater efficiencies, a world-leading customer experience, richer business intelligence. What does this all mean? Duncan will be presenting about the digital future and the benefits you’ll be able to enjoy in the near future and how the services, data, insights and applications will change to support you.

12.00pm Marketplace of Information – Session Four

Choose one from:

A. Rating Information Database and Valuation Roll Issues – led by Toni Wilkinson, Revenue Manager, Taupo District Council
A. repeat of the 10.40am session.

B. Rates Rebate Issues – led by Raymond Horan, Manager Sector Improvement, Taituarā
A repeat of the 10.40am session.

C. Collection and Enforcement Issues – led by Birthe Siems, Revenue Accountant, Gisborne District Council

A repeat of the 10.40am session.

12.50pm Lunch

1.30pm Legal Update
Lizzy Wiessing, Senior Associate, Simpson Grierson

The annual update on the developments in statute and case law, with a focus this year on the rates assessment, rates invoice and enforcement.

2.20pm Working Through
Dave Tams, Group Manager Corporate Excellence, Northland Regional Council

Last year’s decision in the latest round of Mangawhai litigation and the issues that gave rise to the litigations challenged a number of the aspects of the Northland Region’s rate-setting, collection and enforcement. To finish the seminar, Dave will tell the story of what the council has done to address the issues, and offer some sage advice for those who find themselves in a similar position.

3.00pm Summing Up and Announcement of the Venue for the 2018 event

Delegates at this Forum may be able to claim CPD credits from CA ANZ. Delegates wishing to pursue this should provide CA ANZ with the Forum’s outline and confirmation of their attendance (which we can supply).