Tamworth ratepayers association hits back at council plan to up rates

"They're obviously going for maximum, and what we don't understand is nowhere can be seen any attempt from their part to conserve money," Tamworth Regional Residents and Ratepayers Association vice president David McKinnon said.

Councillors will vote on whether to move ahead with a six-week community consultation period, for the plan to apply for what's known as a 'Special Rate Variation' from IPART, the state regulator.

After community consultation, councillors would then decide whether to move forward with the plan to increase residential rates by an average of $221.50 in the next financial year, and $212.82 the year after.

But the ratepayers' association argues that council needn't bother, as the proposed increase is "clearly unreasonable".

"IPART's conditions say council is only allowed to raise rates when it's affordable and reasonable, and of course it's not affordable and not reasonable, particularly when they're making no effort themselves to budget within their means," Mr McKinnon said.

The association's vice president listed several cost-saving measures he believes council should've considered before putting rates up, ranging from axing plans for a multi-million dollar aquatic centre to simply not accepting a pay rise for themselves.

"Councillors have also happily given themselves a $4000 increase each and at the same time don't mind putting all the rates up," Mr McKinnon said

"At one time they weren't paid anything and were there out of goodwill, now they think it's only fair and reasonable that they be paid significantly."

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Council is set to place a number of projects on indefinite hold, even if the rate increase does go into effect, including a redesign for Ray Walsh House, constructing a Performing Arts Centre, adding additional car parking in the CBD, and implementing improvements at the airport's Pilot Training Facility.

Mr McKinnon says council's plans for a $45 million aquatic centre in Hillvue should also be on that list.

"You have this new pool that's going in on the outskirts of town that a lot of people say they're never going to get to from Moore Creek or Oxley Vale, and they're spending an extreme amount of money on that," he said.

Councillors have been saying for some time that increased inflation and cost of living pressures are threatening to put the city of Tamworth in a poor financial position, but Mr McKinnon says that goes twice as much for Tamworth's residents.

"So many people in town are elderly and on pensions. Those people cannot easily handle the variation council is insisting on," he said.

"It's over a two-year period, but 17 per cent in the first year is still a massive hike on rates that are already high at the moment."

According to figures presented by council, Tamworth's rates are about $200 lower than average compared to similar-sized councils, and the two-year special rate variation would take them up to about $150 higher than that average after two years.

However, the ratepayers association says it doubts council's numbers, as it's unclear whether council is factoring in the increase in fees and charges Tamworth Regional Council implemented earlier this year.

"They've been able to claim lots of extra money on services, particularly on waste and water," Mr McKinnon said.

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