Hip pocket relief for Geraldton ratepayers

Ratepayers in the City of Greater Geraldton have won hip pocket relief with the council tonight voting to keep rate rises to a minimum.

The City said most ratepayers would receive rate rises below inflation (less than 1.3 per cent).

At the same time, the council’s 2016/17 budget adopted tonight will direct record spending to sporting clubs and facilities and allows for reintroduction of bulk kerbside waste collection.

A plan to charge for domestic rubbish dumping at Meru has also been scrapped, while the facility will also offer free mulch.

The big ticket item of the budget is $23 million earmarked for works to combat erosion along the Geraldton coast this year.

The spending, subject to State Government funding, aims to develop long-term solutions to the problem in areas such as Beresford, St Georges and Whitehill Road, Drummond Cove.

The City will also focus on investment in the CBD, with moves to cut red tape for developers and investors.

Mullewa residents are also winners, with the budget allocating a record spending for road works, rate cuts for farmers and improvements to the town centre.

The budget will also bring the City deficit down from $7.3 million to $2.2 million, as a result of efficiency gains, despite Government funding cuts to the City of $5.6 million.

Mayor Shane Van Styn said the rates decision was “hugely positive” for the community and “change for the better”.

“Residents made it very clear that large rate rises were untenable so we have worked with them to find the best solutions to keep rate rises at a minimum while working towards becoming financially sustainable,” he said.