Rates remain low despite State budget financial impacts

Based on the State budget, local governments, like all households, will experience higher charges. These charges relate to water, gas, electricity, street lights, loan repayments and levies (waste levy and government guarantee levy). For the City of Wanneroo, these increases represent more than $2.8million in costs for 2015/16 alone.

Despite these financial pressures, the City of Wanneroo has managed to keep its average residential rates increase to 4.6 per cent for 2015/16, which is one of the lowest of any metropolitan council in Western Australia. This increase represents 2.5 per cent to maintain vital services and 2.1 per cent to build and renew community assets. 

This comparatively low increase demonstrates conscientious budgeting by the City, which will deliver more than $81million of community driven capital projects and services in 2015/16.

Capital projects will include the Koondoola Community Facility ($1.29million), the Pearsall Hocking Community Centre ($3million), Yanchep Active Open Space ($3.7million), irrigation replacement programs ($1.7million) and $7.2million of road improvement works to Connolly Drive (Neerabup Road to Lukin Drive) and Old Yanchep Road (Pederick Road to Wattle Ave). 

Highly-used community services such as libraries, recreation and community centres, parks and gardens maintenance, child-health centres, aged care services, environmental planning, assistance to community groups and recycling services are also funded within the budget.

This is a remarkable feat given the City is growing at a rate of 21 new residents and eight houses per day. The budget equitably balances the real need for services and infrastructure in the City’s North and Coastal growth corridors while recognising and addressing the need for new, renewal and upgrade of facilities and services in the City’s established areas.