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City of Canning rates to rise by 2.8%

Emma GearyCanning Gazette

RATEPAYERS in the City of Canning can expect a 2.8 per cent hike in annual rates this financial year.

At a special council meeting last week, councillors voted unanimously to pass the City’s 2017-18 budget and a new strategic community plan.

The budget features a small surplus of $300,000 and includes an average residential rates and charges rise of around 2.8 per cent.

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Mayor Paul Ng said compared to other local governments of about the City’s size, Canning charged some of the lowest rates in Perth.

“The state economy may have slowed but the City of Canning is moving forward with investment in new programs that will strengthen the community and drive the local economy,” he said.

“At the same time, we have identified areas where we have been able to make significant savings.”

Canning will spend more than $3.8 million on technology projects, including the installation of Wi-Fi in community buildings, better ways to interact with the City online and technology improvements to systems.

$70 million has been budgeted for over the next 10 years to develop the Canning City centre.

“With its proximity to the Perth CBD, public transport and plans for an additional 10,000 new dwellings by 2031, the Canning City Centre is set to take off,” Mayor Ng said.

Mayor Ng was critical of past Canning councils for their failure to build for the future.

“In the past the council has not embraced enormous opportunities in Canning,” he said.

“Previous councils have focussed on keeping rates low and have failed to plan for a growing community and City.

“We are taking a responsible approach to budgeting.”

Former Wilson Residents and Ratepayers Association president Bill Prince rejected Mayor Ng’s assertion that Canning’s rates were one of the lowest in the metropolitan area.

He said based on his statistically analysis, 17 other metropolitan councils that had completed their budgets announced rate rises lower than that of Canning’s.

“Our increase is higher than 74 per cent of other councils who have competed their budgets for the year.” Mr Prince said.

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