Community Conversations: Rate Capping

UPDATE: At the March Council meeting, Council announced it will prepare the 2016/17 budget based on a 2.5% rate rise (the State Government cap).

Despite implementing a range of efficiency measures and staff reductions over the last three years, Mitchell Shire Council will need to consider reducing services and infrastructure investment under a 2.5% rate cap.

The State Government announced the cap late last year which will strip $633,000 from Council’s budget in the first year and $44 million over 10 years.

Reductions to school crossing supervision; fire prevention; grants; and opening hours for customer service, libraries and leisure centres are on the cards to meet the rate cap.

Previously planned infrastructure improvements including netball change rooms and courts in Seymour, footpath and stadium upgrades in Wallan and sporting oval improvements in Broadford are also in jeopardy.

Considering these potential impacts, Mitchell Shire Council is asking the community to indicate their rating preference based on a 4.5% or 2.5% rate increase scenario.

For a $300,000 house, a 2.5% rate increase would be an extra $1 a week ($52 a year) and a 4.5% rate increase would be an extra $1.80 a week or $94 a year.

Your input will help inform a decision in March about whether to apply for a rate cap exemption.