PORT Stephens Council has asked the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) to allow it to lift its rates by an average of 31.3 per cent over three years.
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The Newcastle Herald reported the Port Stephens council vote in favour of such a rate rise in November last year.
At the time, the council said surveyed residents had indicated they preferred a rate rise to a cut in services the council had said would be needed to balance the books without a rate increase.
IPART announced details of the latest round of rate rise applications today, naming 13 councils it said wanted a special variation to increase their income from rates above the rate peg.
"We will assess applications against the criteria established by the Office of Local Government, which require councils to demonstrate the need for the additional revenue, evidence of community consultation and an assessment of the impact on affected ratepayers," IPART Tribunal Chair Carmel Donnelly said on Friday.
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Every year IPART decides a rate peg for each council in NSW, which sets the maximum amount councils can increase the revenue they collect from rates.
Councils must seek IPART approval to increase their rates revenue by more than the rate peg.
To do this they apply to IPART for a special variation.
IPART has set the rate peg for 2023-24 at 3.7 per cent. There is also an allowance for the level of population growth, meaning some councils will have rate pegs up to 6.8 per cent.
"This year some councils have applied for large increases in rates above the rate peg through special variations," Ms Donnelly said.
"We always conduct a feedback process where the community can have its say on the applications, IPART welcomes all input from residents about a council's application for a special variation and IPART is accepting submissions on the councils' applications until 3 March."
IPART's final decision on the various applications will be made in May.
Ms Donnelly said IPART had granted an additional four councils a one-month extension to the special variation application deadline.
Bellingen Shire council, Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional council, Strathfield council and Tweed Shire council's applications would be published and open for public submission in April.
The other 12 councils named by IPART apart from Port Stephens are Armidale, Bega Valley, Canada Bay, Federation, Hornsby, Junee, Lithgow, Liverpool Plains (with a one-off rise of 18.1 per cent), Snowy Monaro, Tenterfield, Walcha and Woollahra.
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Ian Kirkwood
Reporting journalist at the Newcastle Herald since 1987. Editorial writer, general reporter, industrial relations, industry and coal.
Reporting journalist at the Newcastle Herald since 1987. Editorial writer, general reporter, industrial relations, industry and coal.
