Rates and charges will most likely rise by 1.5 per cent in 2017/18, according to the Dubbo Regional Council draft budget.
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An extraordinary meeting of council was held on Monday to adopt the 2017/18 draft Operational Plan and Budget. It covers not only council’s finances for the next financial year, but the next four years.
Under the budget, rates will rise by the rate peg limit of 1.5 per cent, as will the annual charges such as sewerage, drainage, domestic waste and water.
It’s the first joint budget for the former Dubbo and Wellington councils, covering $214 million in spending for the year.
However administrator Michael Kneipp said the former council areas would continue to pay different amounts for their charges.
“The government said for four years the rates would not change other than what they would have had there not been an amalgamation. So the job of harmonising rates will be up to the elected council’s in another three years’ time. Up until then there’ll be separate rating structures for Dubbo and Wellington, as per that government directive,” Mr Kneipp said.
In Dubbo, water charges are proposed to increase to $1.97 per kilolitre. In Wellington a tiered pricing structure will continue with usage up to and including 300 kilolitres costing $2.13 per kilolitres.
The charge for sewerage in Dubbo will likely be $735.58 and for waste collection it will rise to $294.96. The drainage charge will be $91.62.
Meanwhile in Wellington the sewerage charge will rise to $644.53 and the 1.5 per cent increase to waste will come in at $347.