Centium is delighted to extend our warmest congratulations to ARC for being one of the 17 NSW councils to receive IPART's approval of their Special Rate Variation application. This approval demonstrates recognition that Councils are facing significant cost pressures in providing vital services to communities.
Out of the 17 councils that applied to exceed the limit, 14 had their applications approved in full, while the remaining three were granted an increase above the cap. This additional income will provide vital support to Councils in managing their service delivery and significant assets.
During 2022, Armidale Regional Council made proactive and transparent efforts in community engagement, which played a pivotal role in their success. The comprehensive community outreach, including reference panels, stakeholder and public meetings and surveys, demonstrated a commitment to fostering a strong level of understanding within their community. Centium is proud to have played a part in this success by supporting ARC in their communications and community engagement strategy and approach – view report here.
ARC's vision for a prosperous and sustainable region is truly inspiring, especially considering the challenges of rate capping and a difficult economic climate. This rate rise will provide the necessary resources to deliver essential services and drive positive change in the region.
In their decision-making process, IPART carefully weighed the cost-of-living stress experienced by ratepayers against the risk of service losses. They also considered the affordability factor, taking into account the financial pressures faced by residents. It is worth noting that IPART has gone a step further by urging the State Government to explore alternative funding sources and investigate the financial model for local councils, with the aim of ensuring their long-term financial sustainability without relying solely on substantial rate increases.
Congratulations once again to Sam Coupland, James Roncon and the entire Leadership Team for this well-deserved recognition. Centium is proud to have supported your success.
If you are interested in learning more about how we could help your Local Government in a communications and community engagement strategy for a Special Rate Variation, please contact us at Centium for a no-obligation consultation:
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