Council Apply to Increase Rates

AT last night’s Council meeting a motion was passed to apply to the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) to raise rates in the Upper Hunter Shire Council by approximately 20 percent in the next three years.

The decision was made despite a survey of residents which showed 56 percent did not want the variation, 13 percent would pay $1 a week more, 21 percent would pay $2 a week more and 10 percent would pay $3 a week more.

Councillors Lee Watts and Lorna Driscoll both voted against applying to IPART saying many people in the Shire would struggle with a 20 percent increase in their rates.

“I don’t think there has been a sufficient response from the community to Council’s engagement on this issue,” Cr Watts said.

“And in the past twelve months I am seeing more people struggling to pay their basics like electricity and groceries so I worry about how adding a financial burden to them,” Cr Lee Watts said.

Cr Driscoll said she agreed with Cr Watts.

“I agree with Lee, I am seeing a lot of farmers who are really, really struggling and this will be hard for them,” said Cr Driscoll.

Mayor Wayne Bedggood said he was supporting the motion for the good of the majority of residents.

“This is for the benefit of the whole Shire and although I recognise there are people in hardship, it is a smaller part of the whole Shire,” said Mayor Bedggood.

“If we don’t take this opportunity we have probably missed a watershed moment,” he said.

“This is Council’s way of taking the town forward and a key point from the survey was people want to see businesses move forward and this is one of the best ways to do it,” Mayor Wayne Bedggood said.

Micromex, the company who conducted the survey of 400 residents said Council may get more support for the special rate variation if they gave a better explanation of what the money would be spent on.

Steve Pryor, director of corporate services, Upper Hunter Shire Council said the motion was for an application to IPART for a special rate variation which required their approval.

More stories to follow.