CEO defends Dardanup rate hike

Ratepayers in the Shire of Dardanup will be slugged with an 8 per cent rate increase — likely to be the highest in the Greater Bunbury region.

Approved by the council last week, the increase follows a 8.75 per cent hike last year — the highest in the region.

The increase was originally flagged at 7 per cent, however a boost to the roads budget and a $17,000 pay rise for the shire president bumped that number to 8 per cent.

The increase will see the average residential rate in the shire rise by about $89 per year while rural rates will jump by about $158.

However, Dardanup chief executive Mark Chester defended the consecutive rate rises saying the council was squirrelling away cash to pay for future infrastructure costs over the next decade.

Mr Chester said the big increases this year and last year were cushioning out the pain for ratepayers.

‘‘In several years time we’ve got some major maintenance to do and if we don’t set money aside for it now we won’t be having 8 per cent rate increases, we’ll be having 28 per cent increases,’’ he said.

Mr Chester listed refurbishment of sporting facilities in Dardanup and a new sporting pavilion in Eaton as major projects the council is planning.

He said the increases might mean ratepayers in the shire were paying more than others in the region but he was not convinced other local governments had the same comprehensive management of assets.

Cutbacks in services could have eased the pain for ratepayers according to Mr Chester, however he said the council had always taken the position of providing quality services.

The council is undertaking community consultation and Mr Chester said the feedback had so far shown people were generally happy with what the council was doing.

‘‘We’ve had no severe backlash to say ‘Stop doing this you’re wasting money’,’’ he said.

As part of the $20 million budget the council has allocated $6.4 million for roadworks including new traffic lights at the intersection of Eaton Drive and Council Drive — half funded by Citygate Properties.

The pay rise for shire president John Gardiner brings the reimbursement for the position into line with other local governments which pay an extra allowance to mayors and shire presidents.