Tamworth regional ratepayers are just about out of time to comment on the prospect of a 33.6 per cent rate rise being proposed by the council.
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Council submitted it's application to the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Authority (IPART) in February.
If approved, the council would increase rates by 18.5 per cent in the 2024-25 financial year; and then 15 per cent the following financial year.
Both increases include the yearly rate peg which is set by IPART.
In early March the regulator called for the public's input to the plan.
IPART chair Carmel Donnelly said community feedback was an important part of the tribunal's assessment of special variation applications.
"We encourage affected ratepayers and community members to fill out the survey on the IPART website or lodge a submission in relation to any of the applications we've received," she said at the time.
The rate hike was first proposed by Tamworth council in September 2023, in a bid to steer clear of a "very bad financial state", mayor Russell Webb said.
On average, council estimates show the rate increase would see residential rates increase by $221.50 in the next financial year, and $212.82 the year after.
Businesses would be forced to pay an extra $768.49 in the 2024-25 financial year, and $738.38 the following year.
What is taken into account by IPART
The Tribunal assess each application against criteria established by the Office of Local Government, which require councils to:
- demonstrate the need for the additional income
- provide evidence that the community is aware of the need for and extent of a rate rise
- establish that the impact on affected ratepayers is reasonable
- exhibit, approve and adopt relevant planning documents
- explain and quantify the council's productivity improvements and cost containment strategies.
What council says it would spent the money on
If the SRV is approved council says it will be able to spend more on its transport and road network and "address the adverse impact of climate change on their quality".
In fact they say two thirds of the money raised by the SRV would go to roads and transport.
Maintaining assets and making sure they are fit for purpose is another cost, while council says the extra funds would also enable it to "deliver the actions in adopted sports and recreation strategies and masterplans for key sites such as Victoria Park, Bicentennial Park and Chaffey Park".
The extra money would also allow council to lavish some extra attention on some key assets, like the town hall, community centre and the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre (TRECC).
There would also be some money for a new animal rehoming pound, and key approved projects like Skywalk and the remediation of Ray Walsh House would get their share.
What happens next?
IPART is accepting feedback on the applications until 11:59pm on March 18, 2024.
You can view the documents on IPART's website.
You can have your say online.
Tamworth is one of nine councils in NSW to have applied for a Special Rate Variation.
Once the feedback has been received, IPART will deliver it's decision in May.
