Plantagenet council pledges unanimous support for 2022/23 budget, green-lights 5 per cent rate rise

Shire of Plantagenet councillors have green-lit the local government’s 2022/23 budget — headlined by a 5 per cent general rate rise. Opening the council meeting on Tuesday, Shire president Chris Pavlovich praised the council and Shire staff for devising this year’s budget. “The delicate balance of prioritising our community’s needs with the available funds is no easy feat,” he said. “We’ve got $27 million of operation and capital expenditure to further enhance this great community, but the hard work of delivering this budget has only just begun.” Big-ticket items include $3.4 million for roads, more than $300,000 for footpath renewal, $400,000 for Mt Barker Memorial Swimming Pool and $150,000 to both the Wilson Park youth precinct and streetscape improvements. Before the meeting Mr Pavlovich told the Advertiser the demand for improved “active transport infrastructure” was growing and a key focus for council. Councillors also unanimously endorsed the officer’s recommendation for an increase in their attendance fees and allowances. The total cost of the nine members sitting fees has climbed 8.9 per cent to $136,156 from $125,026 last year. The Shire president’s allowance is $34,093, and the allowance for deputy Shire president John Oldfield has also increased to $8523. The increases reflected a change in policy which shifted the Shire from paying 80 per cent of the maximum permitted by the Salaries and Allowances Tribunal allowance in 2021/22, to 85 per cent for the coming financial year. Cr Marie O’Dea told the meeting the Shire had an established policy to determine councillor sitting fees, which was reviewed in June 2020. “It’s very clear to the community where we have set the benchmark,” she said. “People understand what we are trying to do to provide recompense for everyone’s efforts around the table. “There are always questions about what we do — this is clear and open as to what expectations are for anyone who may be considering joining us on council.” An incentive to encourage the early payment of rates was once again endorsed. Ratepayers will have until September 13 to pay their rates to be entered into the the raffle to win one of three prizes: a $750 Bendigo bank account, two nights accommodation in Perth or a carton of wine valued at more than $240. “The quicker we get rates in the quicker we can start spending money to deliver on the projects we’ve outlined in the budget,” Mr Pavlovich said.