Move to rescind rating motion

GOLDEN Plains Shire councillors adopted new differential rating categories for the next four years at last month’s regular meeting, but not everyone was in favour of the change.

The move included a 10 per cent increase for Bannockburn businesses, a five per cent rise for intensive farming and 2.5 per cent more on the broadacre farming rate, as well as $60.60 drop in the municipal charge, which is the base payment all ratepayers make each year regardless of property value.

The change was supported by all councillors apart from Cr Owen Sharkey and Cr Les Rowe.

As a result, Cr Sharkey has said he’ll be putting forward a motion to wind back the outcome of the vote and said he doesn’t “take rescinding a motion lightly” but had “expressed disappointment with the group.”

This was particularly around the handling of rating strategy community consultation.

“We’ve absolutely failed community consultation on this one. Even since the decision was made to go with strategy option five, I’ve had several residents ask me to look at it,” he said.

“We went out to community with option one and two, and ended up going with option five. I’ve got the details to option five, that’s all held by us as confidential information, but that doesn’t sit well with me.”

During the meeting, Shire mayor Cr Gavin Gamble said he had written a consultation letter to community members, but Cr Sharkey said “that letter wasn’t sent.”

“I know it’s difficult sometimes facing communities that are in angst or against our decisions, but it’s just so important to face the community… and hear their side.

“The best community consultation you could have is when the rates notices go out. We haven’t heard from anyone in this community that wanted us to do this review,” Cr Sharkey said.

“The ratepayers in my home township of Batesford are paying four-and-a-half or five-and-a-half thousand dollars in rates, and the decision we made to further increase them, even though they were the most vocal people in the Shire, so it’s disappointing.”

For 15 minutes of the rating debate, Cr Ian Getsom was not present in the livestream, and that also “doesn’t sit right” with the former mayor.

“He openly admitted he didn’t understand what was going on or where we were, but he voted and his vote was taken,” Cr Sharkey said.

“If you’re not up to speed with things, you shouldn’t be in the room for starters. There’s no excuse for poor internet connection because we’ve all got the ability to go into the chambers.

“I’ve asked for the motion to come back to counsellors in the next meeting, and I suspect we’ll have the same outcome… but I’m hoping by rescinding this, counsellors will adhere to the rules set out and the expectations of the ratepayers.”

During the rating strategy debate in the last regular meeting, Cr Brett Cunningham disagreed with Cr Sharkey’s comments, and said community consultation had been managed well.

Cr Cunningham was approached regarding this issue but did not comment as the next meeting’s agenda is not yet in the public domain.