Residents face rates slug

By Tania Martin
HILLS residents face a 6.9 per cent rate rise following the release of the Shire of Yarra Ranges’ 09-10 draft budget.
This is a stark jump from last year’s 4.25 per cent hike.
The council has defended the rise, saying it was a big spending budget to stimulate growth in the region.
CEO Glenn Patterson said the rise would cost average families $1.71 a week and had taken into account a number of factors outside the council’s control including the significant cost of responding to the most devastating bushfires in the state’s history.
He said the rate hike was also critical in helping to deliver the shire’s construction program.
The rise is one the biggest in the south-eastern region compared with 5.3 per cent in Cardinia, 5.94 per cent in Knox, 5 per cent in Dandenong and 4.2 per cent in Casey.
But Mr Patterson said the council was working hard to address and clear a backlog of issues raised by the community.
Under the draft budget, the council will spend a record $68.5 million on capital works projects to stimulate construction in the region and support local jobs.
Mayor Len Cox said the budget would play a significant part in supporting the local economy at a time when Australia was officially in recession. “Local government has an important role to play in supporting their local economies and helping preserve jobs,” he said
“This year’s budget is not only the most visionary in the council’s history, but given the backdrop of the global economy and job losses, it is probably the most important.”
Roads have been a big winner this year with more than $14 million allocated for upgrades including $250,000 for Everest Crescent in Olinda and Upwey’s Standhope Street scored $110,000.
The council also allocated $2.8 million to its local roads and resurfacing program.
Parks and reserves were also been big winners with $2.7 million allocated for open spaces including $800,000 for park improvements, $200,000 for drought relief and $300,000 will go towards the rehabilitation of the shire’s sporting reserves.
Mr Patterson said improving footpaths and providing residents with better links between townships had been at the top of the council’s wish-list.
Footpaths will receive a $1.5 million per year boost, which includes money for improving infrastructure.
Aquatic centres will share in a $12.9 million cash windfall bringing the pool infrastructure fund up to $20.1 million.
But Mr Patterson said it was still unclear how the money would be spent.
“It will be six to eight months before we have clarity on how the fund is to be divided up,” he said.
However, Mr Patterson said the development of a regional aquatic centre in Lilydale was one of the shire’s key projects for the pool fund.
Cr Cox said this was the most exciting budget he has been involved in shaping.
He said when Yarra Ranges was created in 1997 with the amalgation of the shire’s of Lilydale and Sherbrooke, it had significant debt to pay off which was now almost gone.