Perth Voice Interactive

STIRLING city council has approved a rate rise of 3.48 per cent, one of the lowest across Perth and the lowest in Voiceland.

Perth upped rates by 4.9 per cent, Bayswater 3.8 and Vincent 3.65. Stirling mayor Giovanni Italiano says the council is debt-free.

The domestic waste charge jumps 8.25 per cent, from $278 to $300.93, with the council quick to point the finger at the WA government’s higher landfill levy as the reason.

Security charges go up 3.57 per cent.

The $262.6 million budget allocates $59.9m for capital works, $21.5m on roads, paths, drains and parking infrastructure (with another $7.7m earmarked for new works on parks and reserves) and $8.4m on improvements to council-owned buildings.
The council has also budgeted for several big one-off projects, including the revitalisation of the Scarborough beachfront ($4.9m) and the transformation of Mirrabooka into a regional centre ($3.6m).

No money has been allocated to cover mooted mergers—Bayswater earmarked  $1m—with Stirling CEO Stuart Jardine saying the budget will be reviewed when an announcement is made by the state government.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK