Council commits to Rates Strategy Review
Published on 28 August 2018
Horsham Rural City Council is seeking expressions of interest from people to join a new Rates Strategy Advisory Committee.
Councillors at Monday night’s Ordinary Meeting voted to proceed with a Rates Strategy Review Project which will be delivered ahead of the 2019-20 Budget.
The nine-person Committee, working alongside an independent consultant, will play a key role in shaping the way rates are calculated.
Chief Executive Officer Sunil Bhalla said the review was in response to strong opinion expressed from the farming sector after 2018-19 Rates Strategy consultation period had closed.
“Council voted not to make any significant adjustments to the Rates Strategy until sufficient consultation had been conducted with all sectors of the community,” Mr Bhalla said.
“It would have been unfair to impose rate rises on the residential, commercial and industrial sectors without consulting with them.
“Instead, Council resolved to have a detailed and independent review undertaken where everyone can share their opinion.
“A key outcome is to achieve a fair and equitable distribution of the rate burden across all sectors of the community,” he said.
Mr Bhalla said he hoped the review would help to clarify details in the current rate strategy.
“Some people don't understand that it's a closed system, so if you want someone to pay less, someone else has to pay more in order to maintain Council services each year.
“Issues of fairness and equity are judgemental in nature, complex and subjective. The matter is not simple or black and white and consideration needs to be given to the relative questions of what is fair and what is not. Fairness will differ depending upon an individual’s view on matters.
“It's about hearing what people have to say,” he said.
Mr Bhalla said people from all sectors of the community were encouraged to apply for membership on the Advisory Committee.
“A diverse Committee will be sought that provides both gender equity and ages representative of the general adult population,” he said.
“The committee will, as far as practical, be composed of representatives proportionate to the share of rates paid by each sector.”
It is envisaged that the committee will meet between four and six times over a two-month period from 1 October 18 to 7 December 18.
Expressions of interest for joining the Committee close Monday 10 September 2018 at 5pm and can be submitted online at hrcc.vic.gov.au or by completing forms available from the Civic Centre, Roberts Avenue, Horsham.