Glenelg Shire residents call for review of budget

More than 100 people have attended meetings in Portland and Heywood this week about the council's proposed rate hikes.

The information sessions are part of the Fair Go For Glenelg Shire Rate Payers awareness campaign, launched by residents concerned about rate rises of up to 220 per cent.

Portland resident Gary Humm said he and other ratepayers were concerned about the impacts the rates rise would have on community members. He said meeting attendees also launched a petition asking mayor Anita Rank to step down. "We have deep concerns about the budget," Mr Humm said. "I'm concerned about the impacts the rates rise will have on the community."

Mr Humm said he spoke to a number of residents on Tuesday who were "terrified" their rent would increase as a result of the rate rise.

He said he was concerned some people would be forced out onto the streets. "It's a social justice issue," Mr Humm said. "I believe this is going to push a lot of people into a really dark space."

Resident John Edgar said the budget was a "shocking example of democracy gone wrong".

He said councillors were elected to "administer affairs" on behalf of rate payers.

Mr Edgar wrote to all councillors to question them about the budget.

In addition to that, he asked Cr Rank why she refused to allow a councillor to introduce a motion to defer the budget at the council meeting.

Related content: Rate payers group to hold information sessions

"This decision is totally irresponsible and inappropriate give the astounding world events affecting our Australian cost of living and the financial pain currently being experienced by all," Mr Edgar wrote to Cr Rank.

"It is expected to get much worse over the near future.

"As a rate payer I insist my elected representatives immediately lodge a notice of recession and vote down this increase and as you well understand, democracy is a wonderful thing."

However, a council spokeswoman said Cr Rank had followed the guidelines when making the decision.

"A mayor at a Council meeting is not permitted to allow an illegal motion," she said.

"The governance rules outline these requirements and the action taken by the Mayor on this occasion was correct."

Cr Rank had responded previously to Mr Edgar's email, saying rescinding the motion was not possible. "As way of context, the budget discussions started 18 months ago when it was agreed that the shire had to move away from a rebate to a differential rating system, this was supported by the primary producers, the VFF and councillors," she wrote in an email seen by The Standard. "A rebate is very different to a differential, it is calculated differently and effects the rates differently, a 30 per cent rebate is not a 30 per cent differential, it's more like 45 per cent. We could not legally or responsibility be able to offer this amount of rebate.

"Moving to a 70 per cent differential I believe is fair and reasonable and actually one of the lowest in the state - we could have done nothing and farmers would be paying the same as residential and businesses (based on CIV).

"Rates are prescribed by the state government, we are bound to follow the method they use to calculate them, this does not take into consideration cost of living pressures, energy prices or commodity prices, these are out of my control.

"The way rates are calculated disadvantages people living in rural areas and the fact that valuations are done annually is also a disadvantage to farmers.

"As mayor and chairperson I felt I had no other obligation to pass the rate strategy and the budget, obviously you will think differently."

The Standard asked Cr Rank what she thought about the petition calling for her to step down. "The community have a right to express their views, which I am respectful of and submitting a petition is part of our democracy and democratic processes," she said.

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