Residents of Pokeno are calling a meeting with local council to get answers about why their rates have in some cases doubled in a matter of months.

Less than a year after shifting south, former Aucklanders are contemplating a move back to the supercity, saying life in the provinces is unaffordable.

Sarah Kull and her husband moved from Auckland's Mount Wellington to Pokeno in January this year, attracted by the village atmosphere and realistic house prices.

But Kull said their Waikato dream had quickly soured, with the couple hit by spiralling rates bills.

REBEKAH PARSONS-KING/FAIRFAX NZ Don Ross and other Pokeno residents are calling a meeting with the Waikato District Council to explain big jumps in their rates bill.

It's a scenario shared by dozens of new arrivals who have seen their rates bill double in less than a year.

"We'd be very sad to move, there's so much we love about the village lifestyle, but no one can absorb 100 per cent rate hikes, it's all a bit scary," Kull said.

Residents have asked the Waikato District Council to front at a public meeting to explain their rates bill, saying communication from council staff has been poor to non-existence.

"In Mount Wellington our house was valued at $570,000 and we paid $2415 in rates a year. Our new home in Pokeno has a CV of $540,000 and we pay $2832 in rates, in addition to regional rates of about $500, costs for rubbish collection and no kerbside recycling," Kull said.

"Before we moved here we were told by residents, builders and developers that our rates would be about $1200 to $1800. That was true a year ago but since then costs have doubled. Already people are talking about having to sell because they can't afford it here."

Gillian Blanchard made the shift from Auckland's Glen Eden to Pokeno in April this year and had already seen her district council rates bill go from $1716 to $3180.

Houses prices in Pokeno had quickly caught up to some Auckland suburbs, but the village was still without basic services, such as a library, kerbside recycling and a bus route.

"In Auckland we had a 90 square metre home and now we live in a brand new home that's nearly 300 sqm and we're lucky that we bought at the right time. But with costs going up we just have to take a wait-and-see approach about whether we stay," Blanchard said.

Tony Whittaker, Waikato District Council's strategy and support general manager, said a number of factors had driven up Pokeno's rates, some of which were not under council's control.

Some residents' first year of rates were artificially low because when rates were struck their homes had not been completed, so their rates were based on the land value and not the capital value of their property.

Also, the district's property values were revised by Quotable Value (QV) late last year, reflecting property price increases of 25 per cent in Pokeno, compared to a 6 per cent average increase across the district.

"These are factors that aren't under the council's control and have been a big kicker for these residents," Whittaker said.

Adding to Pokeno residents' rates hike was a general rates increase of 2.9 per cent, the introduction of a stormwater maintenance charge ($164) and an increase in the village's solid waste charge (from $29 to $46).

Residents' water bill was also restructured with the council introducing a fixed charge of $200 plus a lowered water by metre charge.

Whittaker acknowledged Pokeno rates were comparatively higher than Auckland rates but the Waikato District did not have same economies of scale.

"I absolutely appreciate these residents are upset at the moment because their expectations of what their rates were going to be has not been delivered but we want to work with them," he said.

"Pokeno is growing faster than anyone dreamed and it's taking a lot of resources internally to support that growth and we're having to build infrastructure to support that growth. But the council is seriously committed to Pokeno."

The council predicts a small city of about 25,000 to 30,000 people will spring up on Waikato's northern boundary within three decades.

Ingrid Horotini made the move from Auckland's Mount Wellington to Pokeno 1 -1/2 years ago and said increases in her rates bill had been poorly communicated by the district council.

The mother-of-two paid $1000 a year in rates in Auckland, compared to more than $3000 in Pokeno.

"We're not at the stage yet that we're considering shifting away, but it's definitely not cheap here," she said.

Yulia Jones also wasn't ready to give up her North Waikato dream but said the prospect of further hefty rate hikes was daunting.

She and her husband sold their two-bedroom unit in Sunnyhills, Auckland, for $550,000 and bought a four-bedroom house in Pokeno for $560,000.

Her rates bill was more than $3000, compared to $1300 in Auckland, and was excessive in light of the fact her family travelled to Pukekohe to use amenities such as the public pool and library.

Rates bill

Council Average capital value Average rates bill

Auckland $740,000 $2529

Hamilton $341,190 $2035

Waipa $333,985 (residential) $2534.68

Thames-Coromandel $542,904 $2575.80

Hauraki $240,000 (residential) $1674

Matamata-Piako $262,616 (residential) $2278.24

Waikato District Refused to provide information

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