STIRLING ratepayers will face a 1 per cent rates increase in what has been described as a “very good outcome”.
Council endorsed a 0.9 per cent rise in rates in adopting the 2019-20 budget at Tuesday’s meeting but an increase in waste services costs by $5 per year to $350 will result in an overall rate rise of 1 per cent.
Councillor Elizabeth Re said as Perth’s biggest council, Stirling should be able to offset costs for ratepayers more but Cr Keith Sargent believed waste services represented a “good deal” for residents as it equated to $6.73 per week for three bins and access to skip bins.
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READ NOWCr David Lagan said they were “on track” with the City’s aim to make it a place people wanted to live.
“I think the outcome is very good,” he said.
Mayor Mark Irwin said the City absorbed increases to several government services including a 2.4 per cent rise in the Emergency Services Levy and increases to water, vehicle registrations and street lighting and electricity.
“The City and Council have worked hard to develop a budget that has a minimal financial impact on our residents and rate payers while still allowing us to continue to deliver the more than 200 services they have come to rely on, as well as a variety of programs and work on major projects,” he said.
“It is our role to endorse a responsible, affordable and accountable budget for our community and I believe we have done that.”
The budget comprises $99.4 million to be spent on capital works projects including $26.7 million for roads, $9 million on park upgrades and $11.2 million towards City buildings.
Des Penman Pavilion in Nollamara has been allocated $1.6 million in 2019-20 for upgrades and the Princess Wallington Community Parkland project will receive $1.8 million.
The City remains debt free and is expected to post a $9 million surplus.
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