North Sydney Council says elite private schools should pay rates
Elite private schools that use public parks for free while doing multi-million redevelopments are being targeted by one Sydney council which wants the State Government to start charging them rates. HAVE YOUR SAY
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Elite private schools that use public parks and sporting facilities for free while doing $100 million redevelopments with no open space are being targeted by one Sydney council.
North Sydney Mayor Jilly Gibson is calling on the state government to consider charging rates to independent schools to take pressure off overused public parks and sporting facilities.
In a move that Association of independent Schools says would most likely increase school fees and taxes, the schools would pay rates like any other landowner.
It could also force private schools to consider creating more open space on school grounds rather than using that space to build new learning facilities worth millions.
“As schools increase their student numbers their open space is replaced by classrooms,” Ms Gibson told The Sunday Telegraph, adding that public schools should be exempt.
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“The schools, while making a significant economic contribution to local businesses, are increasingly using our parks and sporting facilities.
“Schools in the North Sydney local government area sit on land that has a total value of more than $389 million yet they pay no rates.
“I do not have a personal position on this complex issue but I believe it is time for the big question to be asked: Should schools start paying rates?”
St Aloysius College’s $104 million redevelopment gained approval from the State Government last week (September 20) despite the council’s objection that it is “building over the already limited existing private open space”.
“The sheer number of private school students using that space alienates other active or passive usage by the general public,” the council said in its objection to the redevelopment in 2018.
Loreto Kiribilli’s $97 million redevelopment was approved in October 2018. Eleven trees were removed with no significant increase in open space.
Bradfield Park in Kirribilli and St Leonards Park in North Sydney are in the council’s sights.
Other schools like Wenona and Monte Sant’ Angelo Mercy College — as well as public schools North Sydney Boys and North Sydney Girls — use public facilities for morning tea, lunch breaks and sporting events because they don’t have enough general recreational space on school grounds.
The council says the area caters for 8523 secondary school students yet only 1107 live in the North Sydney local government area.
The issue was raised in the council’s submission to the NSW Office of Local Government’s review of rates for local government.
The state government is currently reviewing how local councils charge rates.
Government body the independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal recommends that all not-for-profit schools remain exempt from paying rates to councils.
Dr Geoff Newcombe AM, chief executive of the Association of independent Schools NSW, said they support IPART’s position.
“Any change to this policy would require not-for-profit schools to divert funding from teaching and learning purposes, or raise additional funds from parents and/or governments,” he said.
“There are almost 1,000 not-for-profit non-government schools in NSW, educating one in three of the state’s students and providing public benefits to their local communities. In many cases, they make their facilities available to other schools and community organisations.”
A Local Government NSW spokesman remained uncommitted.
“We support councils having more choice about rating decisions that would, for example, allow them to determine rates exemptions based on whether an activity is being conducted on a commercial or not-for-profit basis, to ensure local communities are not being asked to subsidise the profits of any commercial endeavour,” he said.
A spokesman for NSW Minister for Local Government Shelley Hancock said the NSW Government has “ruled out implementing recommendations that would adversely impact communities across the state”.
“In particular, the Government did not agree to implement any fundamental restructure of the rates exemption framework,” he said.
“This includes both public and private schools.
“The last thing the NSW Government wants is for our hardworking P & C having bake sales to pay for council rates.”