The Moorabool Shire was one of just two municipalities throughout the state which were given unqualified support from the Essential Services Commission to go beyond the state-imposed cap in the 2016/17 financial year, but opted not to increase past 2.5 per cent.

At a meeting last week officers advised councillors to apply for a rate rise of 3.5 per cent across the next three financial years, well above the 2.25 per cent cap set by Local Government Minister Marlene Kairouz on December 20.  The vote was split four to two, with councillors Tom Sullivan and Pat Toohey voting in favour of a rate cap exemption. 

Moorabool mayor Paul Tatchell said while the municipality was lacking the funds to maintain critical infrastructure such as its road network, the burden shouldn’t fall on ratepayers.

Council officers predicted the rise of 3.5 per cent over three years would have led to an extra $10 million for the shire’s infrastructure budget. 

The rise would have represented an extra $19 for ratepayers in 2018/19 compared to the expected rise of 2.25 per cent, increasing to more than $50 by 2020/21. 

Cr Toohey said while he wanted to see greater funding from the state government, the council needed to be able to match funding from Spring Street and Canberra in order to secure major projects.  He said the state government’s “one size fits all” approach needed to be altered to take into account growing shires.

“There’s a clear need for infrastructure upgrades throughout Moorabool as one of the fastest growing shires in the state and with a cap of 2.25 per cent the community is going to see infrastructure go backwards,” Cr Toohey said. 

Ballarat City Council mayor Samantha McIntosh told The Courier last week council was “unlikely” to apply for an exemption after being knocked back  in 2016.