Perth Voice Interactive

STIRLING council has adopted its next budget with a rates increase of 2.95 per cent, aligning it with the City of Perth.

Stirling mayor Mark Irwin said the current economic climate had played a hand in keeping the rates below the CPI increase.

“Council discussion did involve a lot of rigour around the cost of living pressures and acknowledged that while this is lower than CPI, the City also in many ways is a business and to take into account wages increases around 4 per cent, the cost of doing business and the inflation across Australia which is quite high at the moment,” Mr Irwin said.

“We are delivering projects well above previous budgeted amounts and seeing those pressures and expectations of communities still coming through to council.”

Mr Irwin said significant projects underway included the multi-million upgrades to the Terry Tyzack Aquatic and the Hamersley Golf Course pavilion, while next priority would be $3 million towards a recycling centre in Balcatta. That could end up requiring up to $12 million over several years, Mr Irwin said.

Other projects in the budget included:

• $650,000 for CCTV infrastructure and rebates;

• $500,000 for a study into a contentious boardwalk at Scarborough Beach;

• $500,000 for solar panels and batteries; and,

• $1 million for greening projects including tree plantings.

Bayswater lifted its residential rates by 3.8 per cent when it adopted its budget last week, which mayor Filomena Piffaretti also linked to the cost of living pressures.

Commercial property owners will have to fork out an extra 7.43 per cent after the city adopted differential rates (“Rates thump to hit land-bankers,” Voice, May 29), a figure that didn’t make it onto the City’s official post-budget press release.

“Last night, council adopted a budget that delivers the high-quality services our community rely on, and maintains the assets we all use every day,” Ms Piffaretti said.

“The introduction of differential rates this year has allowed the City to distribute rates based on land use, which is a more fair and equitable way. 

“It also means council has been able to keep the rate increase for residential property owners to 3.8 per cent which is aligned with CPI. 

“This was a deliberate decision by council to protect those who are most impacted by the soaring cost of living – families, seniors, young people and those living alone.”

Bayswater’s budget includes $980,000 to upgrade the Noranda Sporting Complex changerooms to make them more women-friendly, though this includes a large federal grant, while Lightning Park will get a $750,000 sheltered viewing area.

Other projects include:

• $1.65m for an urban forest at Riverside Gardens East;

• $60,000 for a consortium to deal with homelessness; and,

• an extra $400,000 for tree planting and watering mature trees.

by STEVE GRANT