'No increase is simply not an option': Councillors say rate rise is a reality

This was the second consecutive financial year the council announced a 4.5 per cent rate rise.

In the June 27 meeting, councillors said they understood this could impact those already struggling with the cost of living, but ratepayers shouldn't hesitate to contact the council for assistance.

Councillor Alan Harris moved the motion to endorse the rating framework, expressing his support for the budget and 4.5 per cent rise.

"I do think that this is a responsible budget; no increase is simply not an option for any council in reality," Cr Harris said.

"[The rise] across the board has been recommended and sits well within other local governments," he said.

Deputy mayor Hugh McKenzie, who seconded the motion to endorse the rating framework, said he knew community members would have concerns.

"Any rate increase will not be seen positively by anybody who's struggling with the cost of living, which is a lot of people in our community at the moment," Cr McKenzie said.

"I'm also cognisant that people have concerns [about their] ability to pay and we can talk about hardship provisions and so forth."

Councillor Tim Walker said he thought the 4.5 per cent rise was a "mild increase" and agreed with Cr McKenzie that there was a range of ways council could assist people facing hardship.

"I accept ... that we are careful and frugal with the money that is spent in this organisation on behalf of the community," Cr Walker said.

"There are a range of ways that we can assist people who this may bring additional financial difficulty but I think for the majority of people, this is a very mild increase."

Cr Walker said the current rate rise was also to partially address the rate freeze that occurred during the pandemic in 2020-21.

Councillor George Razay said he was particularly invested in how the rate rise would affect elderly people and pensioners as they would be unlikely to move to different residential areas.

Cr Razay asked in the meeting whether there was a way that pensioners could be alerted of the council's offered assistance.

"I think that's the important thing we should promote," Cr Razay said.

Cr Harris said in his closing statement that ratepayers seeking council assistance should not leave it until the last minute.

"Do not wait until the end of August to then ring up council and try and negotiate payments," Cr Harris said.

"Bills do not go away simply by either not opening the letter or by putting them away and hanging them on the fridge and think about it later."