THE collection of town rates from Rakiraki residents living within the town boundaries has proven a difficult task for officials at the Rakiraki Town Council.
At the start of the New Year, the town council began collecting rates from ratepayers but council acting special administrator Seini Raiko said it would take time for people to fully co-operate with the council over the issue.
"We just started collecting town rates this year and it has been very slow," she said.
"For any new thing, it takes time for people to accept it but it's a requirement and they accept that it is a requirement.
"But to get the means to be able to pay the rate like those living in other towns is a major challenge for us because people who live here are mostly cane farmers and they are mostly paid every three months, they are quarterly paid."
Ms Raiko said the council had taken into account people's difficulties to pay for their rates and it has facilitated their needs.