Proposed rates hike in Kwinana reduced after community concern

KWINANA Council opted to lower its proposed rates increase at a special council meeting on May 27.

Councillors considered resident feedback to its proposed residential rates hike of 3.5 per cent, with a lower rate increase of 2.5 percent for non-residential and vacant rating categories.

Council chose to proceed with budget preparations with a rates increase of 2.5 per cent for all categories.

Mayor Carol Adams said that the Council reviewed seven rates options and agreed upon a rate increase that would ensure services to the community were not compromised, while taking into account the community submissions received and the current economic climate faced by ratepayers.

“Each year the City calculates the level of rates required to fund the services and activities we provide to the Kwinana community, after taking into account all other possible forms of revenue,” Ms Adams said.

READ MORE: Residential rates hike of 3.5 per cent proposed for the City of Kwinana

“The process is complex, but it is a task that all local governments must face on a yearly basis,” she said.

Thirty three submissions were received by the council on the rates increased advertised on May 1 – 24 from those who would be affected by from improved residential rates increases.

“We are keenly aware that many in our community are doing it tough and we tried to strike a balance between the community’s capacity to pay rates and the City’s capacity to deliver quality services,” Ms Adams said.

“We concluded that the fairest outcome was to proceed with budget preparations with a 2.5 per cent increase to the Improved Residential rate category plus continuing the rate harmonisation for applicable rating categories,” she said.

The Council are working towards finalising the 2019/20 budget and anticipate that this will be adopted at its Ordinary Council Meeting on Wednesday, June 26.