Tauranga City Council is asking for community feedback on how the costs of alcohol licensing in our city should be covered.

Currently, only about 40% of the costs are covered by the licensing fees paid by businesses selling alcohol, while the remaining 60%, around $755,000 a year, comes from general rates paid by all ratepayers.

Right now, alcohol licensing fees are set by national legislation.

A proposed bylaw could allow the council to set its own fees instead.

Regulatory and compliance general manager Sarah Omundsen said the fees haven’t changed since they were introduced in 2013.

“If this bylaw is introduced, we could shift some or all of these costs away from ratepayers.

“Councillors would decide the fees to be charged as part of the annual and long-term planning process.”

The fees could cover the cost of administering licensing functions, including: staff costs, receiving and processing licence applications and managers' certificates; monitoring compliance through premise inspections and Controlled Purchase Operations; providing education and industry forums, and the operation of the District Licensing Committee.

More information can be found here – letstalk.tauranga.govt.nz/alcoholfeesetting