Lismore property rates are set to rise by nearly 25% over four years, after a controversial vote by Lismore City councillors.

In a lengthy meeting, emotions ran high as councillors debated whether or not to support a Special Rate Variation (SRV), which would bring extra revenue to council for the roads budget and economic development opportunities such as reinvigorating the CBD. 

The council voted to ask the NSW Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) for a rate increase over four years, starting with 7.5% in the first year, 9.4% in the second year, 3.9% in the third and 3.2% in the fourth year.

The decision included clauses which would see Council develop a way to provide greater accountability and transparency in the management of the extra revenue and ongoing road works.

This included developing a way to track and regularly report expenditure and progress against the SRV, R2R and General Funds road programs.

Another clause requested that Council’s general manager look at alternative resourcing models, “over and above council’s road team to complete the additional road works so they can be completed within a time frame that is acceptable to the community”. 

Mayor Isaac Smith said it was a very hard decision for councillors to make.

“Since 2012, the community has repeatedly told us two things: they want improved roads and more investment in our CBD, which is critical for local jobs,” he said.

“This council has heard the community loud and clear. Unfortunately, the only way to find the money for these investments is to ask the State Government for a Special Rate Variation.

“The community has told us enough is enough, and we agreed.

“None of us want to increase rates but there is no alternative.

“Over the term of this council we have cut spending by millions of dollars, appointed a new general manager to put new cost-saving measures in place and, introduced a staff freeze, plus much more.

“There is nothing left to trim, which means if we didn’t vote for the rise, we would have to cut the essential services that the community wants.”

In public access time at the beginning of the meeting, Council was questioned about its already high rates and how a general community that was already doing it tough would be able to afford any increases.

Cr Smith said Lismore Council was “not even in the top ten of councils with the most expensive rates in the country”.

“Lismore rates in the middle of the Group 4 of councils,” he said. “But we are highest in general rates in our area.”

Cr Smith used Ballina Council when making a comparison with other councils, as Ballina had “roughly the same population” as Lismore.

“Lismore is 10% more than Ballina on general rates but we have twice as many roads,” Cr Smith said. 

“We have a maintenance backlog of more than $54 million which has been built up over consecutive councils.

“Without a rate rise, Ballina rates will be more than Lismore in just three years, because they have a SRV. 

“We have 10% more income but we have a CBD that’s triple the size of Ballina.

“It’s a sad but difficult decision, because as a council we have four times the number of sporting fields and recreation facilities than Ballina.

“How do we maintain these assets?

“We are the sporting hub of regional NSW. 

“What does it mean if we lost half our sporting events in Lismore, the parks, tennis and netball, the basketball stadium.

“These are the challenges we face if we don’t support the SRV."

Mayor Smith said the SRV will see the largest single increase in road funding this community as ever seen. 

“We will send it to IPART for them to make the decision, it’s not our decision,” he said.

“We send them the data and the information and they decide whether community feedback and the information is up to the task we are proposing.

“I don’t want to pass on this issue as a legacy to another future council.”

Five of the eight councillors present at the meeting voted to support the SRV.

Absent from the meeting were councillors Greg Bennett and Adam Guise, as well as Cr Eddie Lloyd who was on pre-approved leave. 

Crs Ekins, Marks, Cook, Bird and Smith voted for the motion. Crs Battista, Casson and Moorhouse voted against.

The council will now write to the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal, which will make the final decision on whether to approve the increase.