By Bridie Byrne
WYNDHAM City Council will review its high-rates strategy following a barrage of community outrage.
Mayor Shane Bourke said the council would take on board ratepayers’ concerns and submissions before any further rate rises.
The comments came as the council fired its chief executive officer Peter Marshall last week.
Cr Bourke’s confession follows a Star campaign over the last three months that exposed the extent of the council’s 2009/10 budget and its plans to massively increase rates over the next decade.
“The rates increases projected as part of the long-term financial strategy are forward estimates and are subject to ongoing review,” he said.
Cr Bourke said all revenue sources and expenditure are assessed each year as part of the general budget process.
“Council’s draft 2009/10 annual budget was released for public comment prior to adoption and council adjusted the rates increases and some areas of expenditure based on feedback from the public,” he said.
The council bowed to public pressure this year and could face the same battle in the future.
Residential rates fell from 6.34 per cent to 5.25 per cent, commercial rates slipped from 6.35 per cent to 5.26 per cent and industrial rates dropped 21.54 per cent to 12.78 per cent.
For the first time Star made public last month the overall rate increase would be a staggering 78.26 per cent over the next ten years.
Families were to be slammed with rate hikes of between $60-$75 a year.
The garbage charge was proposed to soar by 57.74 per cent with tip prices also expected to rise.
But the hardest hit was the industry sector as they were dealt an increase of 18.95 per cent in next year’s budget with an 11.77 per cent rise to follow.
Key industry figures had a recent meeting with council executives and councillors to bring the issue to a head.
In a first, industry bodies will create their own six-point proposal for the council to consider. This will focus on improvements to traffic flows, drainage, footpaths, streetlights and off-street parking.
