Rockingham councillors shoot down city’s business plan as 4.2 per cent rate rise deemed unfair amid surplus

The City of Rockingham’s business plan failed to pass at the May 28 meeting with a multi-million-dollar surplus and planned rates rises contentious among councillors. The city’s budget, which passed earlier in the night, showed a $5 million operating surplus. Meanwhile the 10-year proposed business plan relied on a rates increase in 2025-26 of 4.2 per cent followed by 3.8 per cent in subsequent years. Cr Craig Buchanan argued against the plan, saying a rates increase of 4.2 per cent was not a minimal amount and called for money to be taken from the surplus to make up for any shortfall. “Take $500,000 from the surplus to bring the rates increase to 3.7 per cent rather than the 4.2,” he said. “I don’t think we can say 4.2 per cent is as low as we can go when we’re sitting on a pot of money that hasn’t as yet been allocated. “I still have a serious philosophical problem approving a business plan which is built on an increase — which I don’t think is necessary — in rates.” Cr Dawn Jecks and Cr Mark Jones both argued against the plan and called for the city to use some of its surplus to help those in need. Cr Jones also said he couldn’t vote for the plan because it would “say goodbye” to four employees at the Millar Road Landfill. The business plan showed four employees would lose their jobs at the landfill facility but gave no indication of redundancies or redeployment elsewhere. Cr Caroline Hume argued for the plan and shared her fears that the city would end up broke and under administration if rates didn’t rise in the future. “The cost of living and homeless people keeps coming up, but we’ve also got to think about the future,” she said. “While we’re all debating what’s reasonable some of us are not looking out for the people whose lives will be affected in future years when we can’t keep up with the growth and needs of future generations.” Cr Kelly Middlecoat said she was not able to support the plan while CPI sat at 3.6 per cent and WALGA’s local government cost index was 3.1 per cent. She argued a modest increase would be reasonable while 4.2 per cent surpassed CPI and WALGA’s cost index. “We’ve collected more than we needed to this year, so let’s give it back,” she said.