Rate rise on meeting agenda

A special council meeting will be held tomorrow to discuss proposed rates increases.

The Town of Port Hedland meeting, due to start at 5pm in the council chambers at the Town of Port Hedland Civic Centre, will discuss the 2017-18 rating strategy.

At the April ordinary council meeting, the council agreed to send the strategy out to public consultation. The consultation ended last Friday.

Mayor Camilo Blanco said the meeting would allow councillors to discuss a number of elements still left in the process before the strategy could be adopted.

“Councillors will take ratepayers’ feedback into strong consideration before deciding whether or not to endorse or amend the rating strategy,” he said,

If the council decide to endorse the increases, the Town must then seek approval from the Minister for Local Government before they can be adopted for the new financial year.

If endorsed and adopted residents could be hit with a 2.5 per cent increase in rates next financial year while GRV Industrial land owners could be hit with up to a 25 per cent increase.

A new category was also agreed on during the April meeting which could see vacant lots charged a 11.0825 rate in the dollar to encourage landowners to develop the vacant land.