The council’s application will seek a 7.5 per cent hike in household rates over seven years – a total of 66 per cent over the seven-year period and 5 per cent above the regular annual rate peg.

In return Port ratepayers are being promised around $100 million in infrastructure and services to revitalise town centres, improve roads and cycle/pathways, upgrade drainage and foreshores and build new sport and recreation facilities.

Since the SRV was first announced some seven months ago, the council has undertaken a series of community consultation events, phone surveys and both written and online surveys.

The application presented to councillors at Tuesday night’s extraordinary meeting followed recent public exhibition of its Integrated Planning and Reporting (IP&R) documents, which detail the proposed management of a SRV.

Council received 90 submissions, according to its report. “Of the 57 long written submissions received 58 per cent were not supportive of the proposed SRV; 32 per cent made no comment; and 10 per cent were supportive. Of the 33 short submissions received, the majority did not support the proposed SRV and felt that the council was ignoring results of earlier community consultation.”

As expected the item provoked fiery debate among the councillors [Cr Chris Doohan was absent due to work commitments], all of whom took turns to address the contentious issue and explain their reasoning for voting one way or another.

Councillors voted 7-2 in favour of  pushing ahead with the application lodgement, with high profile opponent Giacomo Arnott and Jaimie Abbott, who had missed some of the previous council meetings due to her pregnancy, the lone dissenters.

It emerged after the vote that in his absence Cr Doohan, who had previously voted against the rate rise, had requested fellow Cr Paul Le Mottee to announce he would continue to vote against the increase.

The arguments were strong and passionate from both sides, with all manner of figures, statistics and percentages thrown about. There were claims of scare-mongering and misinformation.

Cr Arnott, who had moved the motion, saw the debate as the last chance to stop the process in its tracks. “Port Stephens ratepayers are facing financial uncertainty and are focused on paying their bills, not what future projects they will be getting.”

Cr Abbott said that she was excited by the proposed vision, but could not ignore the fact that her community was opposed to the rate rise. “I will deliver on my promises to my community.”

Cr John Nell said he hoped that pensioners and those people struggling financially would benefit from the council’s hardship policy and the council could finally deliver on the infamous ‘never never list’ of projects.

Cr Le Mottee described it as night to adopt change and talked about the “nature of some comments”. “I have had some emails [in opposition] but I have not met a person who is against the rate rise.”

“The community have been waiting 25 years for some projects,” said Cr Ken Jordon. “At the Hinton rugby league field there is only one shower block so for many years now the opposition side is forced to sit in the carpark and wait for the home side to finish their shower before they could use the facilities.”

Councillors Steve Tucker, Glen Dunkley and Sarah Smith talked up the benefits to their local communities, to roads, cycle paths, building projects and importantly jobs for the youth.

Mayor Ryan Palmer said he had listened to the conversations, “both for and against who have made this proposal what it is today”.

“At the heart of what we’re proposing is our aim to provide more for all areas of Port Stephens – major projects and enhanced community services. We also know affordability is a key issue, and we’re proposing a new Rates Assistance Program to provide financial assistance to those who may be financially vulnerable.”

The council’s application is due to IPART by February 11, when IPART will begin accepting community submissions until March 11, 2019.

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