Image
Camera IconImage Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Town of Victoria Park advertises 3% rate increase

Bronwyn DonovanSouthern Gazette

TOWN of Victoria Park is accepting public submissions on its intended 3 per cent rate rise, which is twice as much as Perth’s forecast inflation of 1.5 per cent.

At a special council meeting on June 5, councillors unanimously voted to advertise the proposed increase for a 21 days public consultation period ending June 29, before a finalised budget is adopted in July.

Following elected members workshops in May, it was identified the Town required an “estimated rate revenue of $45.60 million” and would need to increase rates above the consumer price index (CPI) in order to deliver new place planning initiatives, increase tree planting programs and provide the levels of service expected by the community in a growth market.

PerthNow Digital Edition.
Your local paper, whenever you want it.

Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE

Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.

READ NOW

However the Town has used a differential rating strategy since 2014-2015 to more evenly distribute rates between residential and non-residential properties, with residential property owners required to pay a minimum $1233 annually including waste charges.

Non-residential property owners would be required to pay a minimum of $1282 under the proposal.

“Rate increases are made to meet costs and remain operational without cutting back on services,” chief executive Anthony Vuleta said.

“While CPI is a good general economic indicator, it is not an accurate reflection of the true costs incurred by local governments.”

In a media statement the Town stated other impacts that had contributed to the rise imposed on council by the State Government included CPI increases for street lighting, electricity and water, and new costs for auditing to be done through the State’s Office of the Auditor General.

Of 17 metropolitan councils that advertised proposed rate increases, only cities of Melville (0.9 per cent) and Perth (0.8 per cent) and Town of Cottesloe (0.7 per cent) were below the rate of inflation.

Proposed rate increase by metro local governments

City of Rockingham 3.6% City of Kwinana 3.5% Shire of Mundaring 3.1% Town of Victoria Park 3% City of Joondalup 2.95% City of Wanneroo 2.95% City of Nedlands 2.95% City of Fremantle 2.9% City of East Fremantle 2.5% City of Mandurah 2.4% City of Kalamunda 2.1% Claremont 1.9 per cent Cockburn 1.9 per cent City of Swan 1.8% City of Melville 0.9% City of Perth 0.8% Town of Cottesloe 0.7%

MORE: House fire bombed near Mandurah

MORE: Doctor charged over sex assault on patient south of Perth

MORE: Rockingham rampage: man charged with 12 offences

MORE: Perth weather: you can stand under my umbrella