Brimbank council is misleading the community over the effects of putting a cap on rate rises, Local Government Minister and local MP Natalie Hutchins believes.
Star Weekly reported in June that the council had trimmed $1.9 million from its budget this year, including money for community festivals and tree plantings, in preparation for the rate rise cap.
However, Ms Hutchins said the council had the ability to fund all its existing programs.
In a wide-ranging interview Ms Hutchins also said the salaries of Brimbank council’s five most senior officers should be fully disclosed.
She said the council “comes up short in terms of transparency” and hinted that a recently announced review of the Local Government Act could result in councils having to provide audio recordings of meetings.
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In regards to the council slashing its budget to prepare for rate-capping, Ms Hutchins said: “I don’t think they’re being open and honest with the public by singling out one particular service or one particular festival and saying they’re not going to fund it.”
“They still have the capacity to fund all of their existing programs. But what they do need to question is how much they have of the broader public on board for some of their big, infrastructure projects,” the minister said.
“And, in the future, they’re going to need to demonstrate local community involvement and engagement if they want to keep spending money on big infrastructure projects that they don’t currently have in the pipeworks.”
Asked if she was referring to the council’s new $52 million community and civic centre, Ms Hutchins said she was speaking in general terms.
“If the local community don’t want or need it, council need to ask themselves why they’re spending money on it,” she said.
And she said the government was not taking away money from councils by capping rate rises, despite council concerns that it could lose almost $30 million over the next five years.
“I think residents would appreciate the fact we are not looking to take money away from any councils. In fact, what we’re saying is that they have to be open and transparent around their increases,” she said. “They need to be open about how they’re spending ratepayers’ money and at what rate they’re putting the rates up.”
However, council’s chairman of administrators John Watson said he was concerned that ratepayers expected a rates cap would mean a reduction in their rates, especially as property revaluations are due next year.
“As a result, ratepayers may notice a shift, as an increase or decrease, in their rates notices, simply because of changes in property values,” he said.
“Council is also planning to deliver a new aquatic centre to service the community around St Albans. However, in a rate capping environment, delivery of the project will be extremely difficult.”
