It seems clear that council is determined to walk back from its decision earlier this year to abandon plans for a Special Rate Variation (SRV) specifically designed to fund the shire's six pools strategy.
For those with failing memories or busy working-out how to survive in a post bushfire / COVID 19 world, where property values have plummeted, securing gainful employment is little short of a miracle & the cost of living threatens everyday survival, council had intended to pursue an SRV to raise $2.028M annually from 2020-2021 to underwrite the alleged net operating costs of the shire’s six swimming pools & to provide funds for their capital replacement, in perpetuity.
The anticipated impact of the SRV was an 11% increase in rates from next year.
At the height of the bushfire disaster, council appeared to get cold feet over its plan & publicly acknowledged that it would not be pursuing the proposed SRV.
Unsurprisingly, six months later it has shown that it is unable to resist the opportunity to dishonestly gouge ratepayers for additional funding, notwithstanding that there are strong reasons for not doing so, although its latest plan promises an additional 5% increase in rates on top pf the rate peg, every year for three years from 2023; an average aggregate increase of 22%.
Along with many ratepayers, the association
made a submission to council opposing its plan, arguing that there were a number of very strong reasons why it should not do so, including major questions over the adequacy of exiting commercial arrangements in-place for the operation of the pools.
The association notes that the proposed net operating costs included in the latest draft Operational Plan & Budget for the pools remains at the same level council claimed that it has been costing, even though the aggregate net annual operating cost since 2015 has amounted to only $920K, some $460K les than that.
But more importantly, in its submission, the association urged council to address some of the commercial aspects of the current arrangements in-place in respect of the management of the pools.
It seems clear from council’s latest plans that it has no intention of pursuing improved financial outcomes in respect of the operation of the pools, but rather seems content to simply sit on its hands in expectation of being successful with its proposed SRV application.
Amongst other things, the association urged council to initiate a review of the third party management arrangements currently in-place in respect of the pools in Bega & Cobargo.
The association is fundamentally opposed to the current commercial arrangements which allow the current beneficiaries of the management rights to enjoy all of the income generated by these ratepayer-owned assets, while ratepayers are left to meet all of the operating expenses & renewal costs associated with those assets.
The association is of the view that the current arrangements act to potentially deny ratepayers an additional revenue stream that could ease the Operating Cost burden currently attached to those pools.
The association believes that this could be achieved by the future managers paying for the exclusive use of the assets or, alternatively, meeting some of the costs associated with their operation, including maintenance & capital renewal.
Needless to say, in deciding to sit back & do nothing to try & improve the situation to their benefit, council once again demonstrates its fundamental contempt for ratepayers.
For its part, the association believes that tougher times are here & that council will ultimately fail to convince ratepayers of the merits of its plan, even more so for having failed to try & improve the situation in the meantime.
The residents & ratepayers of the Bega Valley need a council that is prepared to work in their best interests & not a council that just sees them as an easy & endless source of funds.
John Richardson
Secretary/Treasurer
Bega Valley Shire Residents & Ratepayers Association
Tel: 0264945669
Email: secretary@begvalleyshireratepayers.asn.au
Website: http://www.begavalleyshireratepayers.asn.au