Two councillors have broken ranks to flag that council intends to try to raise rates and allege the proposal "will see annual council rate rises of between eight per cent and nine per cent per annum until the 2022/23 year; resulting in council rates increasing by between 57 per cent and 68 per cent by 2021."

Councillors Peter Epov and Kathryn Bell claim that council seeks "a Special Rate Variation (SRV) of six per cent per year for six years above the annual rate peg increase of between two per cent and three per cent commencing from the next financial year (2016/17)."

The councillors contend that at the October 21 meeting council's general manager, Ron Posselt will table a report that will include a "recommendation that council commences the process for an application to the Independent Regulation and Pricing Tribunal (IPART)."

"Whilst we understand that there has been an urgent need for a number of years, to address council's dilapidated and ailing road network, the proposal on the table is full of potholes it's inflationary and not sustainable," Cr Epov said.

"If adopted, it would financially impact all ratepayers and have a knock-on consequence on tenants and businesses," Cr Bell said.

"We seem to have a problem with process. I understand that IPART's requirements are for comprehensive community consultation which to my mind includes information assimilation and engagement before an application is submitted for a proposed SRV that will affect the entire community," Cr Bell said.

"I have not seen a plan for community consultation although it has been suggested that consultation will occur in November, which in my view is inappropriate as it's too close to Christmas."

"I think that this proposal is being rushed through so that council can lodge a submission with IPART by early February 2016."

Cr Bell suggests that "to meet the IPART requirements properly, council will have to spend considerably more than the proposed $14,000 on a telephone survey. It may cost as much as $50,000 in information, staff time, surveys, printed literature for community engagement and the net effect may be that the community will be overwhelmingly opposed to the proposal."

Councillor Epov added that whilst council may have included a proposed rate rise to the NSW government's 'Fit For the Future' process, there is no need to rush in and bring forward a such a massive and severe rate hike, before the NSW government has addressed all the submissions and announced its position on the next steps."

Greater Taree City Council general manager Ron Posselt yesterday confirmed the report would be tabled at the meeting.

"The report asks council to endorse a consultation process with the community to determine what they think of the proposal," Mr Posselt said.

He stressed the need for the community to note that at the June meeting of council, "all councillors including Cr Bell and Cr Epov endorsed a submission to the State government via IPART that included a six per cent rate increase for six years as council's approach to becoming Fit for the Future."

"The timing of the increase was in the report and in council's Long Term Financial Plan, also endorsed by all councillors," he said.

"It is very clear that there is no requirement to lodge a Special Rate Variation by endorsing this report, it is merely to discuss the issue with the community."