UPPER Lachlan Shire general rate will rise by the 2.3% set by the State Office of Local Government, and charges in all areas such as water and sewerage will also rise by as much as 5%
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This was confirmed at last week's Council meeting when the draft operational plan for 2014 — 2015 was adopted.
The Operational Plan includes a program of capital works costing $9.95 million, but this includes a major project for the Crookwell water supply treatment plant which is dependent on securing grants from the Federal and State Governments. Should these grants be available a loan of $1 million will be required for matching funds.
The planned improvements for the Crookwell supply will cost a total of $7 million to be spent over two years.
The 2.30% rise in the general rate will provide an additional $143,000 for the Shire, with average increases of $16 for residential property, $50 for businesses, $15 for farmland property and $10 for non-urban residential.
Other increases are:
# Sewerage: Up 4.5% or $32 to $737 per property; unoccupied lot charge 4.5% or $21 to $483 per property;
# Water supply: Access charge up 5% or $20 to $413 per property;
# Water usage charge: up 6.5% to $2.56 per kilolitre for less that 200 kilolitres; $3.39 for every kilolitre over 200.
NOTE: water user-pays charges for Crookwell, Gunning, Dalton and Taralga are uniform. NSW regulations require that 50% of all town water supplies income must be generated from user pays charges.
# Domestic Waste charge: $4.50 or $18 to $396 per service, or $143 per assessment. # Garbage charges: Up 4.5% or $21 to $469 per service.
# Rural waste charge: Up 4.5% or $7.70 per assessment. (The rural waste charge is now subject to GST and consequently will be $169.40 per service).
# Stormwater charges will continue to be levied for Crookwell, Gunning, Collector and Taralga and will remain at $25 for residential and $50 for business. On the expenditure side, road maintenance, rehabilitation and improvement will represent the j ma or cost at a total of $3,714,000.
The major items in then roads program include $824,000 for gravel resheeting; $919,000 to complete sealing the Crookwell — Taralga Road; $400,000 for the Grabine Road (to Wyangala Dam); $430,600 for bitumen resealing to main roads; $416,000 for bitumen resealing of local roads; $240,000 for bitumen sealing on Jerrawa Road and $210,000 for Crookwell main street, from Roberts Street to Laggan Road.
Another major items is $1.16 million earmarked for plant replacement, include fleet vehicles.
Mayor Cr. John Shaw, commenting on the program, said Council had tried to address the needs and demands of all sections of the community.
"Council has reviewed all community submissions and incorporated a number of those requests into the budget.
"Council welcomes the community participation from the ratepayers and residents in the shire in compiling its Operational Plan."