Ballina Shire Council has voted unanimously to support a Special Rate Variation that will lift rates by just over 26 percent across five years.

No residents chose to speak at the meeting’s public forum session, despite Council’s recent public consultation on the proposal showing 66 percent of respondents were opposed the rise.

Councillors said they understood the frustration but argued delaying the decision would only make the eventual cost higher.

Councillors say rise is unavoidable

Moving the motion to proceed, Councillor Erin Karsten said she did not take the decision lightly.

“It’s completely understandable that people question a rate rise when times are tough,” she said.

She told the meeting she had searched for waste across Council.

“I thought there was lots of room for improvement, but staff have already chased every efficiency they can.”

Cr Karsten said using reserves or selling property would “only give short-term relief that doesn’t fix the real problem”.

Councillor Therese Crollick said the Shire faced a long list of projects that residents expected to be delivered.

“People come to us all the time asking when stormwater upgrades will be done, when playgrounds will be renewed.

“We need this funding to get those things done,” she said.

She also noted Council was carrying more than 40 vacancies.

“People complain about salaries, but we’re not actually paying those vacancies.

“We need those roles filled to get the work done.”

Councillor Eva Ramsay said the rise would be hard for many, including pensioners, retirees and families under mortgage stress.

“It’s going to make a real impact on real people, and that weighs heavily on me,” she said.

“But if we wait four or five years, the rise will be even higher. We need to do it now while it’s lower.”

Councillor Phil Meehan said the rise, when expressed in dollars, was modest.

“For the average residential ratepayer, it’s about $35 for the year,” he said.

He said the benefit to Council was significant because it would help maintain almost $2 billion worth of roads, bridges, parks and public assets.

Councillor Kiri Dicker said she supported the rise after years of examining Council spending.

 “I’ve been looking for waste and it’s not very often that I find it,” she said.

 She said many of the financial pressures came from outside decisions.

 “There are lots of people to blame for the cost-of-living crisis before you blame your local council.”

Councillor Simon Chate said the increase worked out to about $10 a quarter for most households.

 “It’s very manageable,” he said. “I feel like we’ve got the balance right here.”

Councillor Damian Loone said a national inquiry showed local residents already pay almost $500 extra each year because other governments shift responsibilities onto councils.

 “That’s why we need an SRV,” he said. “Our audit committee has said yes, so it’s yes from me.”

Councillor Michelle Bailey said councillors had taken the decision seriously.

“None of us want to do it,” she said. “But we’ve taken in the staff advice and the audit advice. We’re making this call early before it gets too bad.”

Councillor Simon Kinny said he was “nailing my colours to the mast” in support.

 “Insurance has gone up hugely. Electricity has gone up. Do people want us to go naked without insurance?” he said.

 He said public feedback was often contradictory. 

“One person says sell our assets. Another says buy more assets. You can’t please everyone.”

Mayor says Council had to ‘bite the bullet’

Closing the discussion, Mayor Sharon Cadwallader said the decision had been difficult but necessary.

“It has been a tough sell,” she said. “Some feedback hasn’t been pleasant, but we all know what the facts are.”

She said most of Council’s reserves were legally restricted.

“Once those restrictions are deducted, Council has $4.5 million working capital. That’s not much for an organisation this size,” she said.

Cr Cadwallader said cost shifting from state and federal governments continued to place heavy pressure on local budgets.

 “Every time we get a new inspection or regulation, it doesn’t come with money. We just absorb the cost,” she said.

She said councillors had made the right call. 

“I’ve tried to keep rates low over my time on Council, but we’ve had to bite the bullet this time.”

The decision will now go to the state regulator, IPART, for final approval.

The increase is expected to be rubber stamped, given other councils have been approved for even larger rises.