Federation Council’s application for a 69.94% increase in rate rises is effectively of and to lock in permanently to the rate base, the 19% including rate peg, and 17% including rate peg increase levied across the 23/24 and 24/25 years.
Council’s decision, at its January meeting, followed a 6:3 vote by councillors.
IPART Chair Carmel Donnelly said the tribunal is now seeking community feedback on applications from Federation, Gunnedah Shire, Northern Beaches, North Sydney, Shoalhaven City and Upper Hunter Shire councils.
“Community feedback is an important part of the tribunal’s assessment of special variation applications,” Ms Donnelly said.
"We encourage affected ratepayers and community members to fill out the survey on the IPART website or lodge a submission in relation to any of the applications we’ve received.”
IPART sets a rate peg annually for each of the 128 councils in NSW which caps each council’s increase in the income they collect from ordinary rates. For 2025-26, the core rate pegs range from 3.6% to 5.1% across NSW. 72 of the 128 councils also received an additional allowance to reflect an adjusted population factor of up to 3.8%.
In general, the councils that have applied this year have indicated they are applying for a special variation to improve financial sustainability and to maintain their current service levels.
Ms Donnelly said: “IPART must assess Special Variation applications against criteria set by the Office of Local Government (OLG). Councils can only apply to IPART for a Special Variation if the elected councillors pass a resolution to go ahead with the application.”
All Special Variation applications for 2025-26 are available for review on the IPART website, along with a short survey and information about how to lodge a submission. IPART will accept feedback on Special Variation applications until 11:59pm on Monday, March 17, 2025.
IPART will release the final decisions on Special Variation and Minimum Rate increase applications by May/June 2025.
Federation Council is providing further opportunities for residents to engage on its Special Rate Variation (SRV) application, submitted to the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) for assessment.
A council-wide mail-out will be distributed next week to update the community on the proposed permanent increase to general rates, followed by pop up information sessions in Corowa, Howlong, Mulwala and Urana as per below -
- Monday, March 3: Corowa Memorial Arcade (10am-11:30am)
- Monday, March 3: Mulwala Bakery (1pm-2:30pm).
- Tuesday, March 4: Howlong Bakery (10am-11:30am)
- Tuesday, March 4: Urana Takeaway (1pm-2:30pm).
