By this stage ratepayers would have started receiving their ordinary rates notices. Council has received a number of phone calls, letters and emails. I alone have heard from over 90 ratepayers.

A consistent theme among the concerns raised is the increase being well above the 15 percent special rate increase determined by IPART. This is true but it is not due to the special rate variation alone.

Fifteen percent SRV has been applied as approved by IPART, whereas the remaining component is a result of rate harmonisation following the NSW Government mandating that merged councils’ rates be harmonised by 1 July 2021.

Rates harmonisation addresses the rates imbalance from the rate path freeze and aligns the rating structures across the LGA. This ensures rate levels are fair and equitable.  

Those ratepayers in the former Gosford City Council area will be feeling the pinch more as residential land values are on average 43 percent higher than those in the former Wyong Shire Council area. It also has not helped that the former Gosford City Council had not had an ordinary rate increase for the past decade and has now had to play catch up.

When compared against other LGAs, Central Coast Council remains one of the lowest in terms of ordinary rate charges, for example average residential rates in other LGAs: Cessnock $1890.00, Lake Macquarie $1519.70, Newcastle $1614.91, Mid-Coast $1418 and Northern Beaches $1524.62.

I agree this has not come at a good time, we couldn’t predict the current situation of COVID-19.

However hardship assistance is offered by Council for those experiencing financial difficulties, please visit Council’s website for further information.   

Finally, I would like to assure those who have written to me and expressed their concerns will receive a response.

Rik Hart, Administrator