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 Upper Hunter Shire Mayor LEE WATTS
1. Special Rate Variation
Upper Hunter Shire Council will go to its communities over the coming month for direct community interaction over its special rate variation application and seek community input before Council makes its final decision on whether or not to apply for the rate increase of 6.4% in General Rates above the rate pegging limit for 2012/13. Community meeting will be held in Scone (31 January), Aberdeen (2 February), Murrurundi (7 February) and Merriwa (9 February) all commencing at 6.00pm.
The reason for the application is quite simple and clear cut. Council requires more rate income to tackle its backlog of roads and bridge infrastructure. Over many years Council has sought out extra funding from every source and worked to achieve efficient spending of every dollar, but it comes a time when that’s just not enough. Council has, like many Councils in NSW staved off special rate increases to the detriment of the assets under Council’s control.
At the same time, costs have increased above the government’s rate pegging limits, including Council’s contributions to the State Government for things like the Rural Fire Service Levy that have increased over 30 percent in the last two years. Council cannot control these costs and eventually, a rate increase is necessary. Council has determined that every dollar of the increase (about half a million dollars per year) will be spent on roads and bridges – Council’s number one priority.
What will be the impact for rate payers?
Council has calculated that the average residential property rates will increase in Scone by $47 per year or for the smaller towns and village about $33 per year.
Due to the variation in areas and base land values it is impossible to do a calculation on rural land, however, the total yield from each category of property will be limited to the increase plus the rate pegging limit is overall 10%.
I encourage people in the Shire to attend one of the community meetings, have your say or post your comments on Council’s website. We are genuinely interested to hear what you have to say and for people to understand Council’s position.
2. Scone Business Park
The Development & Environment committee met this week to review the DCP (Development Control Plan) for the Scone Business Park which is at the northern entry to Scone.. I feel the DCP has been restrictive and may have discouraged developers but these minor changes to the required setbacks, landscaping requirements and the treatment of developments fronting the New England Highway will, if accepted by Council, ensure the future viability of the business park by making it an attractive prospect for developers while still ensuring that the objectives and intent of the DCP are still met while maintaining a high quality development and protecting to town’s entry.
3. Local Government Elections
2012 is also election year for local government, with Council elections being conducted on 8 September 2012. I would encourage anybody thinking of becoming a candidate to do their homework now, well before the elections and get to know and understand how Council operates. Attend meetings and keep abreast of the issues before Council, talk to sitting Councillors about the role of Councillors and the workload that comes with the job.
The Upper Hunter Shire Council will be conducting the usual prospective candidate forums in July, with nominations closing on 1 August.
4. DEVIL ARK
High in the hills of Barrington Tops is Devil Ark a conservation breeding program for the Tasmanian devil. The iconic Tasmanian marsupial is at serious risk of extinction from the highly contagious devil facial tumour disease (DFTD). To prevent extinction, healthy Tasmanian devils must be bred away from the disease to form an insurance population. Upper Hunter Shire Council recently adopted a Devil his name is Hunter. The website will provide you with information about the program http://www.devilark.com.au/ |
