City of Mandurah rejects Lattitudes Village residents’ request for rate reduction

CITY of Mandurah has rejected a request from residents at Lattitudes Village for a reduction in council rates.

Residents believed that as they pay all their village internal costs and maintenance, they should not pay full council rates.

They said the only City service they use is the rubbish collection service.

But according to the council, the fact residents pay for costs associated with internal upkeep makes them no different from residents in any strata titled property and council rates are calculated on the costs of maintaining public infrastructure available to the whole community.

All residents of retirement villages and strata titled properties had internal infrastructure such as roads, drainage and driveways that sit on private land and were not the responsibility of the council.

According to a council report, the cost of maintaining private assets was the responsibility of the asset owners jointly and not a cost that should be borne by the wider community in the form of a rate reduction or concession.

The report said there was a notion that village residents might be overpaying for services, which was not the case.

Councillor Fred Riebeling said Lattitudes residents did not fit into a category where rates could be reduced.

“Rates are our main income,’’ he said.

“They can still use parks, clubs, libraries and a million other facilities.”