Wingecarribee Shire Council is likely to press ahead with plans to increase rates by 9 per cent above the pegged rates level as part of a five-year plan to fund critical infrastructure maintenance.
During 2003 the council was successful in its application to Minister for Local Government Tony Kelly to increase rates by a total of 12 per cent - consisting of the 3.6 per cent rate pegging limit plus an additional 8.4 per cent.
The rise was expected to increase revenue by $1.06 million in 2003/2004 and bring Wingecarribee further into line with other councils of similar size and with comparative socioeconomic characteristics.
At its meeting tonight the new council will consider a report from corporate services director Barry Paull outlining his proposed timeline for preparation and approval of the 2004/2005 management plan and budget.
Under the timeline, councillors will decide on April 21 whether or not to support a further 9 per cent increase in 2004/2005 over and above the rate pegging limit which will be set by the state.
And according to their comments prior to the election, it seems some councillors have now taken a different view from the one they held during last year's unanimous vote.
Judging by their answers to questions posed by the Southern Highland News during the campaign, councillors Duncan Gair, Larry Whipper, Paul Tuddenham, Sara Murray, Malcolm Murray and former Mayor Phil Yeo are all expected to support stage two of the five-year rating strategy.
On the opposite side will be Nick Campbell-Jones, who voted for the increase last year, May King, Jim Mauger and Penny George. Somewhere in the middle Jim Clark and Gordon Lewis, who was the only councillor to note an objection to the decision in 2003, say they would only support a modest or minor increase.
If approved on April 21, the increase would take the council one step closer to its original goal of raising some $7 million in additional revenue over the five years of the strategy.
According to Mr Paull, stage two of the rating strategy will be essential in 2004/2005.
"The draft 2004/2005 budget will be very challenging as demands for resources across the organisation are far in excess of available revenue," he said.
"The continuing impost of rate pegging will mean that council will yet again have no real terms gain in revenue.
"Without the continuation of the rating strategy, council's ability to even maintain existing levels of service will be very difficult and any expansion of services or capital works programs would be unlikely, without rationalising some existing services."
Whilst last year residents were given ample opportunity to comment on the rates increase - council received some 590 written submissions and held a public meeting attended by about 160 people - this year residents will have just 28 days. According to the proposed timeline, the council's draft management plan will be placed on public exhibition on May 12 and stay open for submissions until June 14.
In addition to deciding about the council's rating strategy, councillors are also being asked tonight to engage an external facilitator to assist them and council staff to conduct a review of the council's corporate plan.
This document sets out the challenges facing the council in terms of growth, the environment and economic development and details strategies for achieving the shire's goals.
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