17 NSW councils, including Canada Bay, Strathfield and Woollahra, make rate rise application

Seventeen councils across NSW are hoping to increase rates in coming years, including one regional council applying to double rates in a two-year period. See the list of councils.

Multiple councils have applied to increase rates by substantial amounts. Picture: File.

Seventeen councils across NSW are hoping to hike rates in coming years, with a number making applications to the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) to hike rates by more than 100 per cent.

The Sydney councils which have made an application to increase rates include Canada Bay, Strathfield, Woollahra and Hornsby. In regional NSW, the councils include Tweed Shire, Bega Valley, Lithgow, Junee, Queanbeyan-Palerang and Armidale.

The number of councils which had made applications to hike rates had increased, after extensions were granted to six councils, including Bellingen and Tenterfield.

IPART chair Carmel Donnelly said the rises were needed for councils to effectively complete its jobs.

“The tribunal is required to balance the need for councils to maintain services and improve financial sustainability against the impact on the community,” she said.

Table of the rate rises. Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal.

Each year IPART sets a rate peg for each council which determines the maximum amount local governments can increase the revenue they collect from rates, with any increase above the peg requiring a special variation, or SPV.

For 2023-24, IPART set the rate peg at 3.7 per cent, with faster growing councils set at 6.8 per cent.

If the applications are successful, Bellingen Shire Council will have rates rise by 31.06 per cent over four years, Queanbeyan-Palerang Council by 64.3 per cent over three years, Tweed Council by 6.35 per cent over one year and Tenterfield Council by 104.9 per cent across two years.

The new applications come months after the Bega Valley Shire voted to apply to have their rates increase by 43 per cent over two years.

Bega Valley mayor Russell Fitzpatrick previously said the council was in an “unenviable position” and would need to hike rates amid the fall out from repeated natural disasters and an economic short fall.

Armidale Council has applied for a rate increase which could see residents cop a 58.8 per cent increase over three years.

Mayor Sam Coupland previously told this publication the council had been transparent with the community, putting the increase down to “a systematic revenue problem going back for decades”.

“By not taking this step our assets would become further run down and we would not be able to invest in the region,” he said.

An IPART spokesman said the councils were given an extension to submit their applications.

“We now invite submissions from the community on these applications,” they said.

“We are seeking additional community consultation and submissions on Snowy Monaro Regional Council and Tenterfield Shire Council’s applications as revised applications have been submitted.

“Submissions from both consultation periods will be considered in our assessment.”

Ms Donnelly said community submissions on the applications were a core part of the assessment process.

“We have already received over 1600 submissions which is indicative of strong community sentiment on the proposed increases,” she said.

The final decision on all applications will be released by June 30.