Public meetings will be held across Ballina shire in coming days as the council attempts to sell its proposal to increase rates to improve its pools.
The Ballina Shire Council wants to increase rates by 5.5 per cent for 2015/16 and 2016/17 to help fund upgrades to the Ballina and Alstonville swimming pools.
The council’s proposal is for two increases of 2.5 per cent on top of the standard rate-pegging figure, which is expected to be 3 per cent.
The extra money from the rate rise would be used to repay loans.
This means council will be applying for a 5.5 per cent increase for both years, with the increases remaining throughout the 15 years of the life of the loans.
To discuss the proposal, public meetings will be held at the Lennox Head Cultural and Community Centre, October 7 at 7pm; the Alstonville Leisure and Entertainment Centre, October 8 at 7pm; and Ballina Shire Council Chambers, October 9 at 7pm.
The public meetings are part of a community engagement strategy to satisfy a requirement from the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART), which determines rate variations.
The strategy will also include: fact sheets; information on the council’s website; letters to residents; advertising; a community survey; the public meetings in Ballina, Lennox Head and Alstonville; and meetings with key stakeholders.
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