Council submits application for Special Rate Variation to IPART to secure the future of Lithgow

6 February, 2023

Lithgow City Council has submitted its application to increase land rates to the Independent Planning and Regulatory Tribunal for independent review. 

Lithgow City Council Mayor, Maree Statham commented “This is a major step towards maintaining the city’s roads and other infrastructure, growing the number and choice of work related positions in the local economy and improving services for the whole community.”

The overall income from land rates is proposed to increase by 45.7% (including 3.7% rate peg). Council has committed to limiting any increase in the residential, farming and business (general) rating categories to 27.7% (including the 3.7% rate peg) with the balance of the increase to be levied against the business power generation sub-category, mining category and a new quarrying business sub-category or sub-categories.  

“I am confident this proposal will make a big and positive difference to this local government area. We need to significantly transform the local economy because mining and power generation will reduce in output over time. We need more jobs in sectors that will exist well into the future. The community has also asked us to increase spending up to the real cost of maintaining community assets (especially roads) and services. A maintenance and renewal backlog has been created because of damage from continuous storms and a lack of available funds. This legacy cannot be avoided for future generations to pay for. These are the key things that we have heard time and time again from the community during our extensive consultation program” said Mayor Maree Statham.

The Council’s General Manager, Craig Butler highlighted “We are acutely aware that some residents do experience financial hardship. It was very important to the Council that this be accounted for. For this reason, the Council specifically limited the increase in the residential, farming and business (general) rating categories to 27.7% (including the 3.7% rate peg). Also, the pensioner rate concession was increased by $50, to $300 per annum, commencing from the 2023/24 financial year.”

Lithgow Council is one of 17 Council’s to notify IPART its intention to apply for a special rate variation.  Council’s application has now been submitted to IPART and is available to view on www.ourplaceourfuture.lithgow.com.

IPART will soon place the application on public exhibition and call for submissions from the public.  Submissions must be made online using the IPART Submission form.  Council will be notified of the outcome of the application in May 2023.