At the meeting of Council last Monday evening, I brought on an Administrator’s Minute to consider, in addition to the Special Rate Variation (SRV) of 10% previously resolved by Council, that consultation also be undertaken on an increase of 15%. Following further analysis, it is now apparent that a larger increase needs to be considered in order to maintain current levels of service. 

In dollar terms what will this impact have on rate payers? After harmonizing the rates between Wyong and Gosford, a 15% SRV on the average residential payer from Gosford will be approximately $7.00 per week, while the average residential payer from Wyong will be $3.00 per week decrease. 

A 15% rate increase would deliver around $25M per annum towards reducing our deficit ($89M last year). Reducing on expenses will contribute more to solving the problem than raising revenue from rates.

I spoke with residents demonstrating outside of Wyong Chambers on Monday evening, understandably there were feelings of anger and angst among the group. Questions were raised such as ‘Why should we pay and it’s not our fault’, to which another member of the community responded, ‘We voted them in’. 

Let me be clear. This is not a done deal and IPART will make the final determination following community consultation.