May 16, 2018
The costs of doing business with the South Burnett Regional Council will rise by an average 2 per cent on July 1.
At Wednesday’s monthly meeting, Councillors voted unanimously to adopt the 2018-19 Register Of Fees and Charges.
The Register governs everything from how much the Council charges for photocopies to entry costs at the region’s swimming pools, dog registration fees and hall hire costs.
By law, councils are encouraged to levy fees for their services on a cost-recovery model which should not be higher than the Council’s out-of-pocket cost to provide a service.
A new schedule of Fees and Charges is brought down each year in advance of the Council’s Budget so pricing changes can be made to the Council’s billing and IT systems before July 1.
Since Council revenue projections are partly based on the Register, passing it is also a prerequisite for passing the annual Budget.
This year’s rise follows a similar rise last year, and rises of 2.5 per cent in each of the three preceding years.
Finance portfolio chair Cr Ros Heit said the Council was aware of cost-of-living pressures on residents and had tried to keep this year’s rises in line with CPI.
However, some individual fees may rise slightly more – and some slightly less – than the overall average.
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