IPART rules could see higher fees in Canterbury Bankstown

RATEPAYERS in Canterbury Bankstown are facing higher council fees after the independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal gave councils the thumbs up to raise the rates they charge homeowners by up to 2.7 per cent in 2019/20.

Mayor Khal Asfour said his council remained in the dark and have nothing to share on the issue. Picture: Simon Bullard

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RATEPAYERS in Canterbury Bankstown are facing higher council fees after the independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal gave councils the thumbs up to raise the rates they charge homeowners by up to 2.7 per cent in 2019/20.

The increase is the biggest in recent years. Rates were only allowed to go up 2.3 per cent this financial year and 1.5 per cent a year in 2017/18.

IPART said the higher rates are mostly due to higher labour, energy and construction costs.

Chairman Peter Boxall said it was up to each council to decide whether to apply the rise in full and across all households, businesses or other ratepayers.

IPART chairman Peter Boxall.

However, Canterbury Bankstown Mayor Khal Asfour is frustrated the “NSW Government is yet to provide direction, to any of the amalgamated councils, including Canterbury-Bankstown, on the requirements of its mandatory new rate structure, which it wants in place by September 2020”.

Cr Asfour said like all councils, they will review annual rates and charges as part of their yearly budgetary process.

“The next occasion will be early next year, but rates are impacted by a number of things, including the ever increasing levies imposed on councils by the NSW Government, and the continued cost shifting to councils by both the NSW and Federal Governments,” Cr Asfour said.

He said it is less than ess than two years out from that deadline and the council has heard nothing from the government.

“Such a massive change will impact every resident, so we need to make sure we have time to digest all the requirements and fully inform our community.,” Cr Asfour said.

“But to date, we remain in the dark and have nothing to share.”

According to IPART, the rate peg determines the maximum percentage amount by which a council may increase its general income for the year.

For almost all councils, general income consists entirely of rates income.

For a small number of councils, general income also includes some annual charges such as drainage levies. The rate peg does not apply to stormwater, waste collection, water and sewerage charges.

Councils have discretion to determine how to allocate the rate peg increase between different ratepayer categories.