Gilgandra farmer Angus Beveridge said Gilgandra's 30 per cent rate rise in the next three years will place extra pressure on land holders but said if the money raised goes to sustaining regional roads, it will be acceptable.
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The Independent Pricing and Regularity Tribunal approved increases of 9.6 per cent for 2014-15 and 10 per cent a year for 2015-16 and 2016-17 on Tuesday, in line with the special variation Gilgandra Shire Council asked for.
Mr Beveridge said he believes farmers are charged a disproportionate amount of rates but accepts that isn't going to change.
He is pleased however that the money will be used on roads.
"It's always a contentious issue but I guess it is a necessary evil," he said.
"We pay about $20,000-$25,000 a year in rates so these increases are going to send that up even more and that is something we have to deal with.
"A lot of roads around here aren't good. The council were very good at maintaining roads in the 1980s and early 90s but they didn't foresee the size of trucks that would be using the road now and they just make a mess of it."
Gilgandra Deputy Mayor Ash Walker said the decision to raise rates hadn't been made lightly.
He said there had been extensive consultation with the community and a lot of effort went into making the decision.
"In our communication with residents, the number one priority for about 90 per cent was to do up the roads.
"We don't want gold plated streets or skate parks but we do want to undertake work to keep the road network good," he said.
Cr Walker said council did the sums on what would be needed to get the roads up to scratch and they fell short, which was why they approached IPART for the increase above the yearly peg of 2.3 per cent.
He said the council looked at a number of different options for the length of special variation but chose to to restrict the increases to the current term of council.
"The pressure is on us as councillors to justify our decision and if we fail to do that, there won't be too many of the nine of us who come back again," Cr Walker said.
In approving the rate rise, IPART acknowledged the Gilgandra community was divided over the proposal but said there was good consultancy between council and the community.
Cr Walker said the council is working hard to ensure it not only becomes more efficient, but also makes savings to improve its financial position.
