Shellharbour City Council is set to push ahead with a 10 per cent rate rise when it meets on Tuesday night to adopt the council’s 2015-16 budget.
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Average residential rates will jump by $115 as the council enters its third year of a special rate variation (SRV).
In 2013 the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal approved Shellharbour Council’s application to increase rates by 43 per cent over a four-year period.
The council received 16 submissions regarding the 2015-16 budget during the public exhibition period.
Liberal councillor Kellie Marsh, who is opposed to the rate rise, said it was evident from the submissions the community’s opposition to the $59.5 million City Hub project ‘‘had come through loud and clear’’.
‘‘It is obvious residents want more spent on parks, gardens, stormwater and existing infrastructure,’’ Cr Marsh said.
During the exhibition period the council’s position that the SRV was required to bring Shellharbour City’s rates in line with other council areas was questioned.
‘‘The Office of Local Government [OLG] releases a comparative data publication each year which includes financial indicator data for all NSW councils,’’ the council said in response.
‘‘The latest release was for the 2012-13 financial year. Shellharbour’s average residential rate was well below that of its direct neighbour coastal councils for that year. Even allowing for larger rate increases in 2013-14 and 2014-15 it is believed the average residential rate will still compare favourably with its neighbouring councils.’’
The latest comparative data available on the OLG website said in 2013-14 the average residential rate in Kiama was $1277.87, in Wollongong $1116.55, Shellharbour $1059.27 and Shoalhaven $879.00.