Minutes of Sutherland Shire Council’s last meeting confirm Labor and independent councillors voted to endorse a rates rise of about 25 per cent over four years.
The proposal, called Model 2, was one of four options – and the one recommended by council officers – in a long-term financial plan to eliminate a rapidly growing infrastructure backlog.
The plan, together with other strategies and the 2017-18 budget, were placed on public exhibition after the May 15 meeting.
Under Model 2, rates in 2017-18 would rise by just 1.5 per cent, as pegged by the state government, but the council would seek government approval for a rise of 5.5 per cent on top of the normal rate-pegging figure for the following three years.
The compounding nature of increases, together with forecasts for the rate-pegging figure to return to about three per cent, would see rates increase by about 25 per cent by 2020-21.
The other three options ranged from not doing anything to selling off assets, increasing fees and charges for council services, introducing parking fees, staff cuts and reduced services.
Minutes of the May 15 meeting, which only became available four days later, showed the resolution passed by Labor and independent councillors included the words:
“Model 2 from the Long Term Financial Plan for inclusion as the four year budget within the Delivery Program, be endorsed.”
The motion also endorsed the ministerial rate peg increase of 1.5 per cent for 2017/2018.
Labor councillors, including deputy mayor Peter Scaysbrook, denied after the meeting they had endorsed Model 2.
Liberal councillor Kent Johns, who proposed a fifth option to avoid the big rates hike, said Cr Scaysbrook should apologise for misleading the public.
Cr Scaysbrook said in response, “most significant in the minds of ratepayers” would be the second part of the resolution which endorsed the ministerial rate peg increase of 1.5 per cent for 2017-18.
"In other words, business as usual,” he said.
"Beyond that, council followed a staff recommendation (Option 2) to seek community feedback on adjusting rates which would increase council's capacity to deliver a range of services and infrastructure over the next ten years.
"Council invites all residents to respond to the public exhibition of the strategic documents which will assist council in determining the best Long Term Financial Plan model.”
Cr Scaysbrook said the council had yet to make any decision about rates beyond 2018, and any suggestion to the contrary was without foundation.
"Setting of council's budget is a strictly regulated process and debate will occur again next year, as it does every year, as to whether council will seek to adjust its rate revenue above the ministerial rate peg."
