Council’s new rates and charges for 2008/09 were adopted at the July 17 Extraordinary meeting based on the rate pegging limit of 3.2% following the rejection of the 5.9% rate rise by the Minister for Local Government and the decision on funding the depot left to the new councillors to be elected in September.
The Five Year Forward Financial Plan and the schedule of Fees and Charges for 2008/09 were adopted by Council at an Extraordinary meeting on June 24 however the adoption of the plan was subject to the Minister’s approval of Council’s Application for a Special Rate Variation to General Income of 5.9%.
Water, sewerage and waste management charges are not subject to rate pegging.
General Manager Mike Colreavy said that Council included the depot upgrade project on the basis that, if the Minister did not approve the special rate application, management would identify and submit to the August Council meeting for determination, annual funding cuts to the five year capital works program and cost saving opportunities on operations and possible asset sales totalling $285,000 per annum – sufficient to meet the necessary loan repayments.
However he said given the Minister’s decision has been so late in coming and the fact that Council will be in “caretaker” mode from 4 August until the election that report will now be withheld for the incoming Council to deal with.
Ordinary rates will be 0.3214 cents in the dollar on Rateable Land Value on residential land in Dorrigo with a base amount of $285. In Bellingen the residential rate will be 0.2750 cents with a base amount of $304. In Urunga the residential rate will be 0.2530 cents in the dollar with a base rate of $304. In the village of Mylestom the residential rate will be 0.1678 cents in the dollar with $304 the base rate. Other residential land will be 0.2438 cents in the dollar with base rate $304.
The Business rate in Dorrigo will be 0.3835 cents in the dollar with $304 base rate, 0.3268 cents with a base rate of $304 in Bellingen, 0.3225 cents in Urunga with base rate $304 and 0.2975 cents with base rate $304 in Mylestom. Other Business rates will be 0.2457 cents with base rate $304.
Farmland will be 0.2373 cents in the dollar with $304 as the base rate.
Water on an unconnected block is $190 and $211 for those connected (for 20mm connections).
Sewerage availability charges for those not connected is $449 and $499 for those who are connected.
Waste Management Services will be $355 for residential properties and $355 for Business. $90 will be charged for rateable vacant land where the service is available and $90 for tip access fee for land which has no waste collection service.
Water consumption charges will be 90 cents per kilolitre for all residential properties provided average daily water consumption is below 1kl/day in the billing period. Over this water will be $1.35 per kilolitre. Non residential properties will pay 0.90 cents per kilolitre.
Sewerage consumption charges will be charged on all non residential properties at $1.09 cents per kilolitre based on water consumption of the previous quarter and affected by a Sewerage Discharge Apportionment Factor.
Cr Kerry Child asked about green waste costs. Mr Colreavy said under 0.5 of a cubic metre which he estimated to be a 6x4 box trailer was free.
Cr Cranny thought rates for people not connected to the sewer where it was available were a little high but staff said costs are increasing and the mains still needed servicing.
Cr Cranny asked why there wasn’t an excess charge for non residential water consumption. General Manager Mike Colreavy said there was no requirement to charge excess in that case and it would cause the bill for a place like Norco to escalate to $30,000 and dairy farmers to increase by 40%.
Cr Gordon Braithwaite spoke against the rates, fees and charges saying at a workshop held by Council there was a decrease proposed. ”You are making a profit on every avenue. I don’t support it.”
Mayor Mark Troy said: “I believe it’s responsible that charges should at least reflect the inflationary measure. We heard earlier that Council needs to plan for the future and it would be somewhat irresponsible if we did not”.
Cr Troy said later he was referring to the past failure to do so in regards to the works depot upgrade.
All seven councillors were present at the meeting and all voted for the rates and charges with the exception of Cr Braithwaite.
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