A few concerned Murray River Council ratepayers reached out to the Riverine Herald about their recent rates notices.
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The Riv has clarified with council some information about the higher bills that residents may have seen in their mailboxes.
General rates and fees have increased by 4.7 per cent, in line with the IPART recommended standards that were shared back in May.
There are, however, charges that residents may not recognise from their 2023/24 rates notices.
A previous vacant property fee that was not charged last financial year has been included in 2024/25 rates notices.
“Most of the time it’s where there is an unconstructed piece of land,” Murray River Council corporate services director Stephen Fernando said.
“It could also apply to a property where there is a dwelling, but they are not using a bin.
“That charge has been there for a long time.
“Due to a technical complication, last year we didn’t charge that fee. If you go back beyond last year, it has always been in our rates notice.”
The landfill rehabilitation charge is a new fee for ratepayers. It is a $75 charge for 2024/25.
This covers the cost of maintenance for past and current landfill sites, including the process of ‘capping’ waste.
“Basically, it’s putting a thick layer of specialised clay on top (of landfill) and preparing a cover,” Mr Fernando said.
“The objective is to stop the water going through that cover, like putting a cap on it.
“When the water going into the garbage that causes a lot of chemical reaction ... the water can be contaminated with what’s in the landfill, and that contaminated water then flows into the groundwater and into our rivers.”
Capping landfill is an expensive process, requiring maintenance and observation to ensure that ground water contaminants align with regulations.
“That landfill rehabilitation charge goes to a special fund and is only used to do work, as required by law, to rehabilitate and maintain those landfills,” Mr Fernando said.
“We actually have to make a provision in our financial statements to cover the potential costs.”
Across the board, fees have increased for services like sewage and water.
This can be partly put down to Federal Government regulations that require councils to cover the full cost of water and sewage from their respective charges.
“We have to cover the cost of supplying the water with the water charges,” Mr Fernando said.
“That includes the direct costs. We have to run treatment plants, maintain water networks, water storage facilities, and there are staff doing all of that.
“Plus, we have to put a portion of our common costs, like managers, directors ... once you factor all of that in, you have to make sure our water charges cover those costs.
“That is the same thing with the sewage costs.”
Previously, council has used the income from general rates to subsidise water and sewage.
“Up to last year, our water and sewer charges were not fully covering the cost of doing those businesses,”
“So we’ve had to put them up. Late last year was a bit higher, this year is a bit higher, and so forth.
“Over about three years we are pushing the rates that we charge for water and sewer to enable us to cover the full cost of running those two businesses.”
In future years, council anticipates that those service fees will increase more marginally compared to this year, as the full operating cost will be factored in.
“From next year onwards, we can expect to see the water, sewer and waste charges increase more or less in line with inflation,” Mr Fernando said.
“This year and last year they were more than inflation.”
There has also been some confusion around the special rates variation requested by councillors at their Tuesday, June 25 meeting where a motion to reclassify parkland was rescinded.
Mayor Frank Crawley delivered a mayoral minute — that was unanimously passed — asking council to appeal for a special rate variation to help improve its financial situation.
He called on chief executive Terry Dodds to apply to IPART by February 2025 to potentially increase council rates.
If approved, the special rate variation will be determined and come into effect for the 2026/27 financial year.
The current rates notices are not impacted by this request.
“The special rates variation is not something that the council can do on its own,” Mr Fernando said.
“The councillors can resolve to apply for a special rate variation.
“IPART have to approve it and there's (a) community consultation process ... probably two or three years down the line.
“It does not impact water, sewer or waste rates, it only impacts the general rates.”
For people who are concerned about their 2024/25 rates notice, the first step they can take is to get in contact will council.
Payment plans are available to all ratepayers, and are offered in four-part instalments in the initial rates notice.
The council also offers monthly, fortnightly and weekly payment options.
Concessions are available for pensioners, and can be set up by completing a form with a concession card number. To be eligible, the property must be the primary residence in the pensioner’s name.
For a full copy of the hardship policy, head to the Murray River Council website.
Murray River Council can be contacted on 1300 087 004 or admin@murrayriver.nsw.gov.au
Cadet Journalist