Mayor says new long-term plan will wind back rate rises

Kingborough Mayor Dean Winter estimates residents may save almost $300 per household over the coming decade if the council adopts its new long-term financial plan on Monday.

Kingborough deputy mayor Jo Westwood and mayor Dean Winter in front of their council chambers in Kingston. Picture: MATHEW FARRELL

KINGBOROUGH Mayor Dean Winter estimates residents may save almost $300 per household over the coming decade if the council adopts its new long-term financial plan on Monday.

Cr Winter said the cost saving financial plan was to immediately drop the planned 4 per cent rate rise for the 2019/20 financial year to 3.5 per cent, but then drop every subsequent increase to 2.8 per cent, below long term CPI of 3 per cent.

“A lot of work has gone into the plan,” he said.

“We have had really good input from councillors and for the first time we have built a robust fiscal strategy that will clearly set out of financial objectives.

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Rates rises were a hot topic leading up to last year’s election after the council voted for another 4 per cent rate rise in its June budget meaning council’s rates had gone up by 50 per cent over the past decade — 4 per cent or more every year.

Cr Winter and deputy mayor Jo Westwood campaigned on a pledge to wind back rates and form a new financial plan.

The duo said they would lower rate rises to the consumer price index if elected and say the long-term financial plan – which would equate to a saving of around $30 a year per household – will deliver on that promise as well as maintain existing service levels.

“It is what the deputy mayor and I promised, and critically we can do it with no cuts to staff or services and no change to council’s plan to return to surplus in 2021,” Cr Winter said.

“My vision is for this to be the most innovative and efficient council in Tasmania.

“I want our ratepayers to feel like they’re getting good value for their rates every year through the delivery of projects that matter to them.”

Cr Westwood said while she had worked with State Government, the community sector and business for more than a decade, this was her first experience working through the financial challenges of local government.

“We’ve reached out across our networks to get advice and guidance from some senior and experienced people across all levels of government and business.

“We wanted to put together a solid plan that would guide council’s financial decisions for the next decade.

“I have enjoyed working with council staff to understand the challenges councils across the state are facing.”

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