Tauranga City councilor Steve Morris has questioned the figures and methodology used by Western Bay of Plenty Mayor Garry Webber in a comparison of rates between main centres.

Mayor Webber provided a spreadsheet to the Bay of Plenty Times last week which councillor Morris has disputed.

In the article, former Tauranga mayor Tenby Powell called on the city's commissioners to consider amalgamating the Western Bay's three councils; Tauranga City Council, Western Bay of Plenty District Council and Bay of Plenty Regional Council.

Webber argued that it would be unfair for the Western Bay council to provide any financial assistance toward aiding the Tauranga council's current issues.

Webber supplied a spreadsheet of rates comparisons between New Zealand's main centres. It suggested Tauranga as one of the lower-rated councils in New Zealand.

But Morris has some fundamental issues with the data Webber provided.

'It was an absolute shocker,” says Morris. 'This is just misinformation for our community.”

Morris claims that Webber has undercooked Tauranga City Council's figures and has 'significantly overcooked” Wellington's rates by $1000-$2000.

Morris also disputes the methodology being used for the figures provided by Webber.

'Those figures rely on capital values which are based on property valuations in different years between different councils. They ignore the fact that there are different targeted rates and user-fees and charges between councils.”

Morris highlights several differences between Tauranga and other main centres, Hamilton, Wellington and Dunedin, including water meters and rubbish collection.

He claims these differences skew the figures and are not highlighted in the table provided by Webber.

'It is an easy trap to fall into. What is a $5m house in Tauranga compared to a $5m house in Wellington? But Wellington doesn't have water meters and they have rubbish collection. Tauranga, up until now, has water meters and doesn't have rubbish. So it is not an apples for apples comparison.”

But Webber has made it clear that his loyalty is to his ratepayers.

'I am not in a position to comment on Mr. Morris' figures but the article in question was headlined regarding Powell's call to merge councils.

'Why should Western Bay ratepayers pay for Tauranga City infrastructure? In the Western Bay we are already highly burdened financially, why would I burden our ratepayers anymore?”

Morris believes these figures have been pushed to Tauranga commissioner chair Anne Tolley in a bid to justify rate increases.

'That is the sort of information that is out there about Tauranga's rates and it is completely untrue.”

He confirmed he has been in touch with the former National MP to present what he refers to as the 'correct figures.”

'That is why you cannot compare Tauranga to a small district it has to be compared to the cities for a meaningful comparison. When you compare us to the cities we are at the very top when it comes to rates.

'You have to do a bit more of a sophisticated analysis than a back of the envelope calculation which is just misinformation and wrong.”

However, Webber argues that the table is immaterial.

'Mr. Morris should stick to the big issue which is why should Western Bay assist Tauranga City and fund Tauranga City infrastructure,” says Webber.

'We have got to look after our own ratepayers. They are my priority. Our council is totally focused on looking after our district as financially prudently as we can.”