Port Stephens Council would seal almost every road in the local government area, create new paths and cycleways, provide better drainage and create a community arts centre for Raymond Terrace if a rate rise of 8.5 per cent per annum was approved by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The hike, accumulative each year for seven years, is just one of four options, or scenarios, the council will take to the community over coming weeks.
Each highlight what could be done with varying increases to rates. Port residents will have the chance to provide feedback all four options at community meetings held across the LGA.
Option one, as listed by Port Stephens Council, would result if no special rate variation was granted. Under that proposal only existing services would be maintained.
Option two, a hike of 6.5 per cent to ratepayers, would see council invest $36 million in the proposed revitalisation of town centres, $7 million spent on new paths and cycleways, $9.5 million spent on sporting grounds and complexes in the area and $6.5 million spent on amenities such as such as a new information centre at Birubi and new barbecue facilities across the Port.
Roughly $3.5 million would be funnelled into libraries and community services while $5.5 million would be spent improving drainage at Shoal Bay.
According to a council spokesperson, option two serves as a base platform on which both options three and four build on with additional spending to listed projects and additional projects added to each option.
Option three involves a rise of 7.5 per cent and includes $42 million spent on sealing roads, $8.7 million on paths and cycleways, $2 million on a community arts centre at Raymond Terrace.
Option four builds on the previous options with a rate rise of 8.5 per cent which would generate and extra $88 million in revenue.
It would see the council spend $56 million on sealing almost every road in the LGA, $7.5 million spent on better drainage in addition to the previously listed projects.
Mayor Ryan Palmer said any rate increase would stimulate the economy, drive business growth and attract visitors.
A proposed application to increase rates is not a decision Council takes lightly, Cr Palmer said.
Feedback from the community is imperative to this decision-making process.
According to the council, rates in Port Stephens were more than 30 per cent lower than Newcastle and Maitland and 14 per cent lower than Cessnock.
Community meetings on the special rate variation proposal will be held across the Port.
A full list of meeting times and locations along with detailed information on the SRV proposal can be found at haveyoursay.portstephens.nsw.gov.au/srv
