9 hours ago
'Inappropriate spending': Northern Beaches locals fume as council hikes rates by 25 per cent as meeting dominated by Gaza debate
The Northern Beaches Council (NBC) has voted largely in favour to hit residents with a 25 per cent rate increase to ease its tightening budget while much of the meeting was dominated by debate over the conflict in the Middle East.
On Tuesday night, the council held a meeting and voted 11-4 in favour of the rate rise which will inject $50 million into the budget over the next two years.
The rate increase alone equated to an expected $168 extra ratepayers will have to fork out in the next financial year based on the recommended 12.1 per cent increase.
An additional $13 waste charge increase was also recommended, with no increase to the storm water charge, bringing the total rate increase to $181 to be shouldered by the ratepayer.
Dozens of angry locals protested outside the Dee Why council chambers in a last stand demonstration to sway councillors.
However, the Northern Beaches People Voice's months-long dissent against the council was unsuccessful.
Before the vote, Northern Beaches People Voice founder Stuart Gold demanded the council to 'eliminate costly non-essential services', to manage funds 'more efficiently' and to minimise 'inappropriate spending'.
'Why can't council find more ways to reduce costs? I think I can think of a few… executive salaries, 111 positions costing $25.8 million,' he said.
'Cut executive positions by one third and you save $8.5 million, throw in some executive cars and you save over $11 million straight off the bat.'
The vote came six months after the Northern Beaches Council sought permission to jack up rates by close to 40 per cent.
The council voted 8-7 in favour of the rate hike which would increase its budgets incrementally over the next three years by $57 million if the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) gives the green light.
The IPART rejected the NBC's initial effort to increase rates by 39.7 per cent, instead allowing the council to vote on a 25 per cent increase over the next two years.
The council said it needed extra income from the 'special rate variation' – which allows NSW councils to increase their general revenue above the standard rate peg – in order to sustainably pay for infrastructure and maintenance.
The council also wanted to put funds towards its natural disasters fund, boost its storm water renewal program, as well as other infrastructure projects such as refurbishing the Warringah Aquatic Centre.
If the rate increases did not pass, the council heard the community would face 'critical failures' of its infrastructure and further deterioration.
The meeting included a public forum which was dominated by the conflict in Gaza and Israel.
During the public forum, a proud Israeli made a contribution during which he strived to 'debunk everything' the critics of Israel had said during the hours-long meeting.
On social media, locals blasted the council for entertaining debate about foreign conflicts with some arguing the focus should be on saving ratepayers' money.
