Tamworth Regional Council has voted to increase its total ordinary rate income by 18.5 per cent next financial year through implementing the Special Rate Variation approved by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal.

The decision was supported by a majority of the 9 Councillors. Councillors Rodda and Mears formally requested for their names to be recorded as voting against the move.

The decision came after some lengthy discussion about Council’s Integrated Planning and Reporting documents for 2024/25 which include Our Delivery Plan 2023-2025 and Our Annual Plan and Budget 2024/25, Statement of Revenue Policy 2024/25 and Fees and Charges 2024/25. These documents set out the service delivery, projects and works council will carry out in the coming year along with the schedule of rates, fees and charges.

For the first time, the draft documents included two scenarios - the Base Case Scenario and the Special Rate Variation Scenario. However, Council agreed to move forward with the Special Rate Variation of an Ordinary Rate increase of 18.5% in year 1 inclusive of a 4.9% Rate Peg increase and 15% in year 2 inclusive of a projected 2.5% Rate Peg increase, as approved by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal.

In addition to the Ordinary Rate rise, there will be an increase of 4.9% per cent to water availability (annual) charges, water consumption (usage) charges and water developer charges and the same increase to waste annual charges.