Central Coast councillors will decide on Monday night June 22, whether to accept a recommendation from staff to raise landholders’ rates by 2.6 per cent for next financial year.
Staff have also recommended that all current special levies continue, also with a 2.6 per cent rise.
Last year, the rate rise went through the council meeting undebated.
The councillors met last Saturday, June 13, to discuss the budget for next financial year, which starts on July 1 and that document will come to the June 29 meeting.
Council has already agreed to a 2.2 per cent water rates increase for next year.
This year’s water rate was a decrease from the previous year thanks to that year’s Independent Pricing and Regulary Tribunal (PART) ruling.
In accordance with the Local Government Act, the IPART approved a rate peg increase of 2.6 per cent for 2020-21.
This means that Council may increase total rate revenue in 2020-21 by 2.6 per cent without any additional approval.
The NSW Valuer General’s revalued all Coast land as at July 1, 2019, and council must use these valuations.
Properties with large increases in land value will experience rate increases well above the IPART approved rate.
As Council’s total rates income can only increase by the IPART approved 2.6 per cent, other ratepayers will see increases of less than 2.6 per cent and some will see rate decreases.
Rates to be issued by July 31 in line with previous years.
The Office of Local Government has provided an automatic extension to the payment date for ratepayers to 30 September 2020.
Source
Agenda Item 2.1
Central Coast Council meeting June 22.