City of Burnside announces 2024/25 rate rise

The City of Burnside has announced the 2024/25 rate rise following the decision of Council at their 24 June 2024 Special Council meeting last night.

Following an intensive community consultation process the Council has adopted a 9.8 per cent rate rise as part of a three-year recovery model, with a number of operating and capital projects removed. This rate would then be followed by rate rises of between 4-7 per cent for the following two financial years, achieving a breakeven position within three years.

Mayor Anne Monceaux said that this budget results from listening to the wishes of our community and making compromises.

“It was a very difficult but important decision to make in setting the next financial year’s rates rise, taking into account the valued and varied feedback from our community,” Mayor Monceaux said. “The Council listened and compromises were made by all Members for the benefit of the whole community,” Mayor Monceaux said.

CEO Chris Cowley said that the Council adopted a 9.8 per cent rate increase following a comprehensive community consultation process and that Council has listened to the feedback.

“I thank our ratepayers who took the time to be involved in the community consultation to understand the position that Council is in and the hard decisions that need to be made,” Mr Cowley said.

“Two thirds of the residents that responded to the community consultation were comfortable with at least a 9.8 per cent rate rise however they also asked us to review our service levels and asset renewal intervention levels to investigate savings opportunities,” Mr Cowley said.

Mr Cowley said that Council’s decision will ensure that the many services that are valued by the community will still be delivered, while dealing with the inflationary pressures impacting on the costs of providing those services.

“In the coming year Council will focus on finding savings and reviewing our existing services and service levels,” Mr Cowley said.