Cockburn 2019-20 rate rise same as 2018-19, below metro average

The City of Cockburn’s 2019-20 budget has been adopted by Council, with a rate rise of 1.90 per cent, the same as last year and slightly less than the average metropolitan increase of 2.1 per cent.

The low rate rise reflects current economic challenges and the low inflation environment.

For the fourth consecutive year, the Waste Services charge for commercial and industrial properties will stay at $458 (and $510 for rate exempt properties) as a result of successful waste management strategies reducing long term costs.

This year the City will experience State-sanctioned increases ranging between 2.1 and 3.7 per cent for electricity costs, a 2.5 per cent increase in water charges and a 2.6 per cent increase in vehicle registrations and third party insurance costs.

“The City’s low rate rise will continue the trend of 2018-19 for Cockburn, when home owners paid some of the lowest household rates in Perth,” Mayor Logan Howlett said.

“Overall, the average residential improved ratepayer will pay an extra 56 cents per week ($29 pa) after concession and for those on the minimum payment rate the increase will be 48 cents per week ($25 pa). This excludes the State Government’s Emergency Services Levy.

“The pension rebate cap of $750 (first applied in 2016-17) will remain the same, effectively saving the State Government millions of dollars through neither lifting the cap nor indexing it to CPI.

“The Seniors Rebate will also remain unchanged, capped at $100.”

2019-20 will also be the eleventh consecutive year that the City will deliver an operating surplus result, a primary indicator of financial health and performance.

For the first year, community resident and business groups were invited to submit up to five projects for consideration in the City’s 2019-20 budget process and 19 projects valued at $357,000 were included in the budget.

In May, residents were asked to provide feedback on the draft capital works budget for 2019-20 and total spending of $43m+ is now planned, including $22m+ on roads, drainage and footpaths.

Rates collected this year will total $107.68m with a capital budget of $44.6m. Substantial funds will be invested in sustainability initiatives to meet the needs of current and future generations by integrating environmental protection, social advancement and economic prosperity.

Some of these exciting projects include:

$5.38m on parks and environment $5m for a new Native ARC Inc facility and Cockburn Wetlands Education Centre Manning Park Master Plan – Mountain Bike Trails design $100,000 Purchase of an electric waste truck Street tree planting - $300,000 Compostable dog bags - $100,000 Coogee maritime trail stage 3 - $70,000 Yangebup Lake bridge upgrade - $50,000 Aubin Grove - Banksia Eucalypt Woodland Reserve Viewing Platform Renewal Beeliar Lake Beautification project Poole Reserve Irrigation renewal (Coogee) Hamilton Hill Urban Forest improvements C Y O’Connor dune stabilisation Allendale Park nature play (North Lake) Condil Park mulching works (Success) Osprey Drive Upgrade Fauna Underpass Roads are the big ticket item in this year’s budget, at $20.58m, including the following projects: Jandakot Road (Berrigan Drive to Solomon Road) $7.6m (total $10.6m over 2 years 2018-2020) Verde Drive/Prinsep Road $6.0m (total $8.5m over 2 years 2018-2020) North Lake Road/Discovery Drive roundabout $1.98m Karel Avenue - Berrigan Drive to Farrington Road $2.0m (total $5.5m over 3 years 2019-2022 The budget also includes $10.3m for building projects, including: Malabar Park BMX Facility $1.1m (total $2.46m over 2 years 2019-2021) Frankland Park Recreation Centre, Community Hall & Ovals $1.5mn (total $9.35m over 2 years 2019-2021)