Shire of Dardanup adopts overall 5.5 per cent rate increase as differential rates adopted for first time

Shire of Dardanup ratepayers are set to be hit with a 5.5 per cent increase in rates as the council endorses the draft 2024-25 budget. Councillors also voted to support the introduction of differential rates for the first time at the special meeting, which will see households and businesses pay different amounts. Shire president Tyrrell Gardiner said the council was still trying to “catch up” from when there was a zero and 2 per cent increase in rates during 2020-21 and 2021-22 respectively, describing the council’s financial situation as “tight” for the next three to four years. “We’re not going to be living above our means by any stretch, but we just need to replenish our reserves because they got run down a bit over COVID,” he said. While the overall increase is less than the 6 per cent rise in 2023-24, the introduction of differential rates mean it will not be shared equally among ratepayers. Urban residential properties in the shire will pay just under 11.6 cents per rateable dollar — a 5.75 per cent increase from this financial year. Landowners with rural residential, commercial, industrial and accommodation properties will be charged differently for the first time under the changes. Cr Gardiner hopes differential rates will result in a fairer system. “It gives us a bit more flexibility to even the spread and where you are drawing your rates from,” he said. “We advertised (the changes) and there were zero submissions.” The shire also endorsed a 31.9 per cent increase per rateable dollar for the bulk waste collection levy for residential areas and a 31.4 per cent decrease in the Eaton landscaping levy, which is getting phased out over four years. Among other budget changes is a partial backdown on plans to give councillors a double-digit pay rise, which is now planned to increase from 75 per cent of the maximum level to 80 per cent from July. It had been slated to increase to 85 per cent, but Cr Gardiner said the Salaries and Allowances Tribunal’s decision to increase the maximum payments by 4 per cent would have resulted in an additional 10 per cent increase being “unpalatable” to the council. The final budget will be put to the council for adoption later this month.