Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) Chair, Carmel Donnelly, is urging Central Coast residents to register for a public hearing on proposed water rates on April 5.
Donnelly said IPART’s proposed rate hike of 19 per cent from July 1 this year, followed by 4 per cent rises in the three succeeding years, averaged out at a 25 per cent rise over the four years, as opposed to the 34 per cent hike from this year applied for by Central Coast Council.
“We are really keen to have people register for this public hearing,” she said.
“We are going through a very thorough process and we want to hear from consumers.”
Donnelly said all three tribunal members, including herself, have questions surrounding improvements needed in the water services supplied by Council.
“More than a third of respondents to our survey are not happy with the quality of service,” she said.
“Some areas have strong concerns around brown water and sewerage overflows and this is what we want to hear about in more detail.”
Donnelly said after looking at performance indicators and realising Council was not meeting some of them, IPART had decided a rise was definitely needed.
“Given there is a genuine need we do see the need to increase prices,” she said.
But she said it was vital to ensure the increased rates went towards addressing service problems.
The public meeting, she said, will be very thorough and held in two parts.
From 10am there will be an hour and a half presentation, where IPART will take those attending through its draft proposal.
“We’ve also invited some stakeholders to present,” she said.
“And there will be the opportunity for tribunal members to ask questions too.
“Prior to COVID we preferred to have such meetings face to face but for now they are online so people can join conveniently and feel safe.”
The last hour of the meeting will take the form of a public discussion about accountability.
“We consider it crucial that the water business is more accountable and transparent,” Donnelly said.
“We have suggested a number of measures to hold Council accountable including a report to the Minister in two years’ time to monitor the improvements we are suggesting.
“We need more information about the quality of service and the measures people think are important.”
Registrations can be made for the meeting on the IPART website, with a link to be provided upon registration.
A full transcript will be made available following the meeting for those who cannot attend.
Terry Collins