Ballina Shire Council (BSC) rates will rise by around 25 percent over the next four years, with councillors voting to pursue a Special Rate Variation (SRV) to address a growing $3.6 million budget shortfall.

Council staff presented three options for addressing the deficit — including one with a potential 36 percent increase.

Councillor Phil Meahan moved to adopt the middle option: an 11 percent SRV on top of standard inflation-linked rises (currently 3.25 percent annually).

Cr Meahan said cutting costs wasn’t viable at this stage and argued Ballina’s rates remain low compared to neighbouring councils and others of a similar size throughout the state.

“Our staffing levels are already leaner than comparable councils,” he said.

 “While I believe a time will come to review our operational model, staffing, and programs, right now we need to bring our rating levels in line with our peers.”

The proposed SRV would see rates rise by an additional 2.7 percent each year over four years. Even then, Cr Meahan said, Ballina would likely remain one of the lowest-rating councils on the North Coast.

He noted that other councils are also planning to apply for SRVs, and stressed the importance of acting now to avoid even steeper increases in the future.

“The last time we did this was in 2017–18, mainly to support capital works like water infrastructure. Before that, it was for projects like the swimming pools and beautification of River Street and Alstonville. These decisions provide long-term funding for critical infrastructure.”

Backing the motion, Mayor Sharon Cadwallader said the rate rise was necessary due to increasing responsibilities pushed onto local councils by the state.

“The cost-shifting from other levels of government is horrendous,” she said.

 “We’re expected to provide more with less, while also supporting a growing population. We punch above our weight when it comes to delivering community infrastructure, but to remain sustainable, we don’t have much choice.”

The motion passed unanimously.   BSC must undertake a “community consultation” before formally applying to the NSW Government’s Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) for approval to implement the SRV.

That approval is expected to be a granted given other councils in NSW have been given the green light by IPART to raise rates by as much as 40 percent in recent years to help cover state cost-shifting and ensure financial stability.

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