PARKING FINES TO GO DOWN

Published on 11 January 2019

A New Year’s gift is on the way for busy motorists with Blacktown City Council slashing many parking fines by more than twenty per cent.

Blacktown City Mayor Stephen Bali has written to the NSW Government saying Council has determined to reduce parking fines by the maximum amount allowed under recent changes to legislation.

“We will be reducing the fine from $112 to $80 from 1 March 2019, for 25 parking offences not just in the CBDs, but right across the City,” Mayor Bali said.

 “We understand the cost of living pressures that families are under and every cost reduction helps. That’s why we have reduced the maximum number of fines allowed under the Government legislation.

Council officers estimate the fine reductions will result in a revenue loss to Council of about $206,000.

“While we are happy about reducing the cost to motorists, once again the State Government makes the decision but the Council has to pick up the tab,” Mayor Bali said.

“Council, and therefore our ratepayers are carrying the burden of more than $17-million a year in costs of services and infrastructure that has been shifted from the NSW and Federal Governments onto Council’s books.

“The NSW Government shows a budget surplus while councils are forced to pay increasing waste levies, emergency services levies, pensioner rate rebates and a greater share of services such as libraries and leisure centres,” Mayor Bali said.