Council has proposed a cumulative increase of 28.5 per cent over the four years, including the rate peg. This includes annual increases of 11 per cent in 2017-18, five per cent in 2018-19, five per cent in 2019-20 and five per cent in 2020-21. The rate peg for 2017-18 is set at 1.5 per cent. 

MidCoast Council administrator John Turner approved the recommendations to apply for the SRV at the extraordinary meeting at council’s Forster headquarters. 

Following this Mr Turner read from a prepared statement. 

Around 20 to 30 people attended the meeting where three members of the public spoke out against the application. The speakers included former Greater Taree City councillor Peter Epov and Forster resident David Poole. Mr Poole started an online change.org petition against the SRV, which has since gained 335 supporters. 

Mr Poole said he believes the decision to apply for an SRV should be made after the September council elections.

In a press release following the meeting Mr Epov said, “The administrator should not have made such as decision particularly so close to the pending council elections. 

“A council will only commence and exist when there are democratically elected councillors, and it is they who should decide an issue on rates,” he added. 

IPART chair Dr Peter Boxall said the application will be assessed against the criteria established by the Office of Local Government guidelines.

“MidCoast Council is required to demonstrate the need for and the purpose of the additional revenue, evidence of community consultation, and an assessment of the impact on affected ratepayers,” he said.

“As the council must engage with the community when assessing options for a special variation, we expect it will have sought and considered the community’s views on the special variation.

“Community members wishing to make submissions directly to IPART can do so until June 30, and these submissions will be considered as part of our determination.”

The application follows legislative changes made by the NSW Parliament in March that allows MidCoast Council to apply for a SRV for 2017-18.