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6.54pm
The first motion is lost with no votes in support.
Cr Beales has moved that the rating strategy vote be deferred until after the commission of inquiry hands down its recommendations.
The budget will also be delayed until that point.
6.51pm
Cr Armstrong has moved for a motion of recision of the vote fails. Cr McLean said she was concerned that all in the audience had a full understanding of the motion.
Cr McLean argues that motion could defer a decision to the commission of inquiry.
There is now a side debate about the wording of the motion.
Mr Andrew Evans is chairing the meeting as chief executive officer and said it would be up to the minister to consider the recommendations form both the inquiry and the council.
Cr Ford is considering a move to withdraw the motion. Cr Hooper said the issue had been discussed for months and there should not be a stay of proceedings for further discussion.
Cr Hooper has asked for a decision and Cr Ford said he was not in a hurry as it was very important.
There is now loud murmuring in the audience.
Cr McLean has moved across the chamber to consult directly with Cr Ford. Cr Hooper has protested at the break with meeting procedure.
6.42pm
As a final right of reply, Cr Ford said the changes were needed to restore vitality to Ararat.
“I agree that costs must be cut to benefit all. That’s one thing we all agree on and it will bring rates down. I think that rates are higher because we give these concessions to farmers, the highest in the state.”
6.40pm
Mayor Paul Hooper said he saw no reason to support the motion as it was devoid of governance principles and snubbed its nose at the Local Government Minister.
“I am absolutely opposed to any changes to the differential rating system. I will be voting against this motion.”
Crowd cheers again in response.
6.35pm
Cr Peter Beales said the effect of the rating strategy was to move the rate burden around, not to lift it or increase it.
Cr Beales has read out the terms of reference for the commission of inquiry into the Ararat Rural City Council Rating Strategy.
- The Commissioners will be announced next week and will be required to report on the consultative process carried out to develop the budget and rating strategy, and the administrative capacity of the City, by the 1 August.
- They will also consult the ratepayers of Ararat on the Council’s budget and rating strategy, and make recommendations to the Councillors and the Government.
Cr Beales said those were not ‘wishy washy words’ and he had been involved in councils for eight years and was part of one that was dissolved by the state government.
Cr Beales accused some councillors of pending time in a cafe instead of meeting with ratepayers and it showed a lack of respect.
“That’s what the state government is concerned about,” he said.
The crowd began clapping at that statement.
6.34pm
Cr Jo Armstrong has spoken against the motion to move the rating strategy largely as it was originally advertised.
Cr Armstrong said she wanted to bring the debate back to the issue and not the personal.
“No data has been shared to support the use of a rating strategy to manipulate social equity or social justice.
“I have questions about the data shared with councillors.”
Cr Armstrong said she had an issue with the information provided on exactly how many farms and farming families were in the Rural City and she had an issue with the portrayal of farms owned by trusts or superannuation funds as attempts to conceal value or avoid rates.
“I just think this is a really irrational move. With the advice that has come from the Local Government Minister it is inadvisable and very risky.”
6.26pm
Cr Gwenda Allgood said rates were confidential and she felt angry, hurt and confused.
Cr Allgood said one submission to the budget said they would reconsider discretionary spending and would boycott a list of businesses in town.
‘Surely this is not representative of Ararat people. There should be an apology,” Cr Allgood said.
Cr Allgood said she turned her phone off after she received a call from a farmer in America at 1.30am.
6.24pm
Cr David Pettman thanked everyone who has emailed him over the past 56 days.
He noted there had been a lot of not-nice comments on Facebook.
Cr Pettman said when he first became a councillor, the first thing that people mentioned was their expensive rates and they hoped he could do something about it.
Cr Pettman said farmers used to pay 0.7 rates and that was reduced.
“I have been fair with everyone, I have been open and transparent. I have tried to respond to everyone.
6.20pm
Cr Glenda McLean said she has previously moved for a 55 per cent differential for farmers but with the condition of no rates rise overall.
Cr McLean said she backed the former Ararat Rural City Council chief executive’s assessment that previous plans would place an unfair burden on pensioners and businesses.
“The rating system as it stands is difficult to understand.” she said.
“Over a 10-year period, a pensioner in a property that same value as a farm pays $8000 more in rates.”
Cr McLean said it should be up to other organisations like RDV to set economic policy and assist agencies.
Cr McLean said it was clear that government help was needed in the agricultural industry.
“It seems to me that the discussion of capacity to pay is being clouded by comparisons with people on PAYG salaries with businesses with deductions and family trusts,” she said.
Cr McLean said the most important thing to work out is the timefrane for change.
“Council has complicated things for you and caused you distress,” she said.
“It is clear to me that since 2014 the council has been living beyond its means.
“We need a working group to examine our expenditure, and we need that group immediately.”
6.10pm
We’ve moved quickly to the big one: the rating strategy
Cr Darren Ford has moved that all properties will be able to apply for a waiver or different of rates for financial hardship.
Cr Glenda McLean seconds the motion.
Cr Ford says the influx of call and emails from the VFF has been significant.
“This was hard to deal with immediately as an individual councillor. I thank ratepayers for their input,” Cr Ford said.
Almost full house at Alexandra Oval asks Cr Ford to speak up.
Cr Ford asks if VFF wants to have the minister intervene, likens VFF concept of consultation as tying councillors to fences.
“The differential rates has been a useful tool. rate have been distorted for some time. At some point the town must push back and make it equitable. farmers cannot be considered in isolation to the wider financial hardship of Ararat.”
Cr Ford says a lot of small councils will be watching tonight’s meeting closely.
6.00pm
Good evening everybody from the Alexandra Oval Community Centre in Ararat.
Grab your meeting agenda and documents here:
On the agenda tonight:
- 6.1 – A & J MCDONALD CENTRE PETITION
- 7.1.1 – RATING STRATEGY 2017
- 7.1.2 – 2017/2018 BUDGET & DECLARATION OF RATES
- 7.1.3 – DRAFT COUNCIL PLAN 2017-2021 INCORPORATING THE STRATEGIC RESOURCE PLAN (SRP)
- 8.1.1 – BUSINESS ARISING 13039071 CORPORATE STRATEGY, RISK AND GOVERNANCE
- 8.1.2 – COUNCIL COMMITTEES
- 8.1.3 – ASSEMBLY OF COUNCILLORS
- 8.1.4 – GRANT APPLICATIONS
- 8.1.5 – COUNCILLORS EXPENSES
- 8.1.6 – CORPORATE STRATEGY, RISK AND GOVERNANCE QUARTERLY REPORT
- 8.1.7 – COUNCIL PLAN 2013-2017 PROGRESS REPORT
- 8.2.1 – COMMUNITY LIFE QUARTERLY REPORT
- 8.2.2 – BUILDING APPROVALS
- 8.2.3 – PLANNING MATTERS APPROVED UNDER DELEGATION
- 9.1.1 – SECTION 86 COMMITTEES OF MANAGEMENT10.1.1 – MUNICPAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN 2017-2020
- 10.2.2 – APPLICATION FOR PLANNING PERMIT NO. 02627
- 10.3.1 DISCONTINUNCE A SECTION OF UNUSED ROAD RESERVE BETWEEN ALFRED STREET AND WESTERN BOUANDRY OF LOT 7 PARISH OF ARARAT