A petition has been launched opposing the Narrandera Shire Council’s proposed Special Rates Variation (SRV).

More than 100 residents attended a meeting at the Narrandera Ex-servicemen’s Club for what was described by organisers as a ‘very successful, constructive and productive meeting’.

As a result the petition strongly objecting to the proposed SRV was prepared and can be signed at Halls Accounting office in Bolton Street during business hours, as well as Grong Grong Store, Barellan General Store, Popular Fish Shop, Halls Accounting, St Vinnies Store and MJC Auto Parts.

Spokesman Wesley Hall said the Narrandera community should be outraged by the proposed 41.5 per cent Narrandera Shire Council Rate increase.

“Landlords will pass this increase onto renters who are already struggling with the cost of living,” he said.

“As a result of this meeting, a 12-member committee was formed to complete a full objection to the proposed outrageous General Rate increase. Its members come from a wide cross section of our Narrandera community and they are particularly experienced in financial, business and local government matters.

“More than 180 signatures have been collected so far. We are not going to accept a 41.5 per cent rate increase”

Meanwhile, the council has scheduled additional community consultation on the proposed SRV with a meeting scheduled for Narrandera Ex-servicemen’s Club tonight from 6.30pm to 8.30pm due to public demand. Community feedback will still close on Friday November 3.

The council is contemplating imposing either a one-year SRV amounting to 41.5 per cent for the financial year 2024-25, which includes the projected rate peg of 3.5 per cent, or a two-year SRV comprising 25.5 per cent for 2024-25 (with the forecasted rate peg of 3.5 per cent) and 18.0 per cent for 2025-26 (with the forecasted rate peg of 2.5 per cent). These variations amount to a cumulative increase of 48.1 per cent over two years.

After the community engagement period ends the council will be analysing community feedback and creating a report for its November meeting on November 21, when a final decision will be made on whether to submit the application for the special variation.

The council began its community consultation process after its September meeting with a series of meetings held in towns throughout the shire.

This process allowed residents and stakeholders to have their voices heard and provide feedback on the proposal.

Mayor Cr Neville Kschenka said the community had taken the opportunity to ask questions and voice concerns at the series of meetings held so far and their feedback would help shape the final proposal and the information gathered would help Council make the final decisions.

A need to upgrade the stormwater system in Narrandera was identified by the council as a key factor impacting the long-term sustainability of the council and the proposed rate increase aimed to provide the necessary funding to address infrastructure challenges and maintain service levels that met community needs.

“We believe a significant increase in income is necessary to ensure its long-term viability. Both IPART and higher levels of government expect councils to be sustainable and capable of fulfilling their legislative obligations,” Cr Kschenka said.

It was pointed out at the October meeting that it had been a very long process and a lot of investigation involved before the proposal for an SRV was put to Council.

Council consults on big rates increase

The report to Council in September was adamant that Council was a business and if it did not address its financial future it would not be viable. However lot of information would have to be put to IPART before it agreed to a special rate variation.

General Manager George Cowan said the Council was in charge of $300million in assets and some were in poor condition, with a backlog of works worth approximately $1600m and rising.

Stormwater was another issue and while Council had the answer to the problems it was a $16million solution.

“Its a grim reality that has to be faced. We have to either cut back on services or assets or increase revenue,” he said.

He also pointed out that while it was a new thing for Narrandera it was not so elsewhere – 79 councils had applied for SRVs and some neighbouring councils to Narrandera had been through the process.

It was made obvious at the meeting that without the SRV services could not be maintained and council would not remain viable and that the SRV would only impact the Council’s General Fund with a greater effect on larger and higher valued properties, of which there were some very valuable properties in the shire when compared to neighbouring Leeton and Griffith local government areas. 

This article appeared in the Narrandera Argus, 26 October 2023.

Related stories: Basis for rate variation explained; Council puts case for a special rate variation; Council flags big rates hike.