Council rates taken up a peg by independent tribunal
COFFS Harbour City Council will be able to increase its general income by 3.4% in 2013-14 following Monday's announcement of the rate peg by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART).
The maximum increase of 3.4% applies to the general income collected by Council that doesn't have approval for a special variation such as the CBD special business rate.
The main component of general income is rates revenue but it also includes some annual user charges.
It excludes stormwater, waste collection, water and sewerage charges.
As president of the Local Government Association of NSW local Councillor, Keith Rhoades, said rate pegging and financial viability of councils remain at the 'top of the list' of council concerns, and that this is being thoroughly addressed by the Local Government Independent Review Panel."Ultimately councils in NSW would like to see rate pegging removed.
"We believe that the adoption of Integrated Planning and Reporting (IPR) makes rate pegging redundant," Cr Rhoades said..
"We would like councils in NSW to be in a position to determine their own rating policies, and to be able to adequately provide for the needs of their communities.
"As councils introduce community strategic service and resource plans, they will prove that they're capable of making well-informed decisions, in consultation with their communities, to determine their own level of rates for the services that their communities want."
