Council rates on the rise for Tweed homeowners

Ratepayers with the minimum increase would have to find at least a further $50.

Housing Market around the Tweed Shire is on the move. Picture: Scott Davis

TWEED homeowners may have to find at least another $50 when their next rates bill lands in their letterbox.

Councillors are expected to set in stone an increase of 2.3 per cent for the general rate and a five per cent increase in fees and charges.

If councillors strike the rates at their next meeting on Thursday, July 5 the council will be imposing the highest possible increase, which is capped by the independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal.

Councillors accepted in-principle increases last month and can make them official at the council meeting on July 5.

According to the council's revenue policy document, ratepayers with the minimum increase would have to find at least a further $50.

Average homeowners will need to cough up a further $64.

The minimum general rates bill for a residential property will increase from $1022.90 to $1046.45.

Including charges, ratepayers will be forking out at least $2419.85 next financial year. As detailed in the council budget, $138,000 will be spent on a koala management plan, $200,000 on a vegetation management strategy and $192,000 to combat noxious weeds as part of a biodiversity management program.

Collection of rubbish will cost $3.3 million, $697,000 will be spent on kerbside collection and $3.9 million will be used to run the Stotts Creek Resource Recovery Centre.

The cost of running the council's four libraries is $2.59 million, with $1.83 million for the art gallery, $2.924 million for its three pools and $5.838 million to run the Tweed Coast Holiday Park.

Maintaining sporting fields costs $1.728 million, with $19,000 allocated for each of the shire's five turf cricket pitches.