Editorial: Rate Variation Circus

WHEN it comes to special rate variations what goes up, won’t come down.

If IPART approves the Upper Hunter Shire Council’s application for a 20 percent rate rise over three years, our rates will remain at that level forever more and then we will still be subject to the usual consumer price index (CPI) rates of increase each year.

The Council have produced a list for IPART of what they will spend the special rate variation on: Council’s Wish List.

I question if a 20 percent rate rise is the only way to go about it and more importantly if this Council can be trusted to get it right with our money.

Of note, on the list are four new round-abouts at Kingdon Street, Susan Street, Guernsey Street and Gundy road which are estimated to cost $1.2 million.

But at the December Council meeting Cr James Burns also announced they wanted the traffic lights taken out and another round-about put in, which is not in the budget.

I phoned an engineering company which specialises in road works, which wished to remain anonymous, to ask how much such an exercise could cost and was told anywhere from $200,000 to $2million, depending on what was beneath the road.

Apparently the main costs incurred is with infrastructure under the road such as sewerage, storm water, electricity and so forth that has to be managed.

When the engineer mentioned this I immediately thought of our previous story Draining Issue for Council.

There are significant issues with old storm water infrastructure in Kelly Street, much to the frustration of local shop owners and the issues are stemming from the same intersection where the new ‘uncosted’ round-about may go.

At least when the traffic lights went in, it was paid for by Roads and Maritime Services, but this time ratepayers will be left to foot the bill.

Personally, I’d like to see the main streets of our towns ‘revitalised’ especially for Scone businesses which will soon have to contend with the impacts of a bypass.

Personally, I don’t care if we replace the traffic lights with a roundabout.

But personally I have serious concerns about the ability of this Council to manage the town revitalisation and come in on budget when already major components are not listed in the budget and that we know of the storm water issues which again don’t appear to be accounted for in the budget.

At the same meeting where Council announced they are applying for a 20 percent rate rise they passed a motion to buy a $15,000 blue string horse.

Perhaps when they put the round-about in they will put lots of blue string horses on it as a tourist attraction and depict the circus that is our current Council.

Elizabeth Flaherty

Editor of scone.com.au