Residents are being asked to have their say as Bega Council plans service delivery and infrastructure management for the next four years. Photo: Bega Valley Shire Council.
Bega Valley residents could be slugged with a rate increase of up to 52 per cent, a suite of planning documents has revealed.
Eight documents prepared by Bega Valley Shire Council (BVSC) have been released, outlining the projects, services and initiatives council will focus on and how they will be funded.
One, the draft Delivery Plan 2025-2029, details the services and projects BVSC will deliver over the next four years.
According to the document, BVSC is looking at spending more than $325 million on renewing and upgrading its assets. It is also relying on receiving almost $25 million in grants to pay for various projects.
Bega Valley Shire Council’s (BVSC) CEO Anthony McMahon said the council was facing increasing costs in service delivery and maintaining infrastructure.
“We have had to make some difficult decisions in developing these plans. There are projects and services we know the community would like to see but they won’t come about as we simply can’t afford them,” he said.
“These plans have been shaped by what you have told us matters most and what we know needs to be invested now so it doesn’t cost us even more in the future, particularly when it comes to our road network.”
Another document proposes three options to pay for BVSC’s projects and services over the next 10 years, each offering different levels of delivery.
According to the draft Long Term Financial Plan 2025-34, Bega Valley ratepayers may be hit with a rate hike to help fund the works.
The modelling for Option C assumes there will be the advised rate peg increase of 4.9 per cent for 2025-26 and then a rate peg of 3 per cent each year thereafter.
Option B assumes a 28 per cent increase in 2027-28, and Option A, a 52 per cent increase in 2027-28.
If council took this route, it would follow increases of 24 per cent in 2023/24 and 19.6 per cent in 2024/25.
Mr McMahon said council had to manage more than $2 billion in assets, which was placing strain on its budget.
“We will deliver once-in-a-generation projects including a new organics processing facility, Merimbula Boardwalk, Bega Pool and significant water and sewer upgrades, among many others,” he said.
“It’s a sizeable investment, yet we know there is more that needs to be done and many of the projects we have planned won’t take place unless we secure competitive grant funding.”
The documents have been released through council’s website. Hard copies are also available at council libraries and the Customer Service Centre in council’s Zingel Place building in Bega.
BVSC is holding a series of community meetings in May:
- 5 to 6 pm at The Log Cabin (38 Maling Street in Eden) on Tuesday 20 May
- 5 to 6 pm at Bega Commemorative Civic Centre (Zingel Place in Bega) on Thursday 22 May
- 5 to 6 pm at Club Sapphire (Main Street in Merimbula) on Tuesday 27 May
- 5 to 6 pm at Bermagui Surf Life Saving Club (Lamont Street in Bermagui) on Thursday 29 May.
Once the consultation process finishes, a consolidated feedback report will be presented to councillors at its meeting on 23 June.
To read the documents, provide feedback and check community meeting venues and times, go to council’s Have Your Say webpage. Submissions must be received by the close of business on 5 June.
