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City of Cockburn to get 1.9 per cent rate increase

Staff WriterCockburn Gazette

CITY of Cockburn residents can expect a 1.9 per cent rate rise, after the council adopted its 2018-19 budget at a special meeting last week.

Less than the average metropolitan increase of 2.23 per cent, the rise comes despite the State Government’s increase of up to 10 per cent in its Emergency Services Levy (ESL).

The ESL increase is the largest since its introduction by the State Government in 2000 to fund the Department of Fire and Emergency Services.

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The City will collect about $17.98 million in ESL compared to $15.9m in 2017-18, resulting in an annual increase for the average Cockburn residential ratepayer of 3.16 per cent (rates notice total payable).

This year, the City will also experience a 3.2 per cent increase in State-sanctioned electricity costs, a 5.5 per cent increase in water charges, a 3 per cent increase in gas charges, a 5.8 per cent increase in motor vehicle registrations, and a 9 per cent increase in third-party motor vehicle insurance.

“The State Government’s Landfill Levy of $3.78m will rise from $65 to $70, or 7.7 per cent, per tonne from July 1, 2018,” Mayor Logan Howlett said.

“However, the City’s rate rise will continue the trend of 2017-18 for Cockburn, when home owners paid some of the lowest household rates in Perth.

“Overall, the average residential improved ratepayer will pay an extra 56c per week after concession and for those on the minimum payment rate, the increase will be 48c per week.

“This excludes the State Government’s Emergency Services Levy.

Mr Howlett said 2018-19 would also be the 10th straight year that the City would deliver an operating surplus result, a primary indicator of financial health and performance.

“The pension rebate cap of $750 (first applied in 2016-17) will remain the same, effectively saving the State Government millions of dollars through neither lifting the cap nor indexing it to CPI,” he said.