{"id":313761,"date":"2022-02-23T18:26:46","date_gmt":"2022-02-23T08:26:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=313761"},"modified":"2022-02-23T18:26:46","modified_gmt":"2022-02-23T08:26:46","slug":"council-backflips-on-fee-rise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2022\/02\/23\/council-backflips-on-fee-rise\/","title":{"rendered":"Council Backflips On Fee Rise"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
A significant increase in fees and charges for agents and sellers using the Coolabunia Saleyards has been postponed until the South Burnett Regional Council hands down its 2022-23 Budget (Photo: Tina Torrens)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"
SBRC Cr Kathy Duff<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

February 23, 2022<\/strong><\/p>\n

A planned 40 per cent fee rise at the Coolabunia Saleyards has been deferred until next financial year.<\/p>\n

The rise was approved at January’s South Burnett Regional Council meeting, with a 20 per cent fee hike scheduled to begin on February 1 and a further 20 per cent rise planned for the Council’s 2022-23 Budget.<\/p>\n

The increase had been recommended by the Coolabunia Saleyards Working Group – a committee made up of Councillors and Council officers tasked with planning a future for the Council-owned facility – to help stem ongoing losses.<\/p>\n

The group reported that over the past five years the saleyards lost an average $86,683 per year, which they attributed to its charges being less than half current industry averages.<\/p>\n

However, at Wednesday’s General Meeting Councillors voted unanimously to overturn last month’s decision and defer any increase until the Council hands down its 2022-23 Budget.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The motion to shelve the rise was moved by Cr Kathy Duff and seconded by Cr Danita Potter.<\/p>\n

“I believe we need to look at what we charge the agents for the use of the facilities, as well as the fees for sellers,” Cr Duff said.<\/p>\n

“The agents are doing work at the yards on sale days that they don’t have to do at other yards, so I think we should sit down with them and work it out.”<\/p>\n

Cr Scott Henschen agreed, saying he had attended a meeting of the working group last week and believed there was “still some work to do in this space”.<\/p>\n

He now thought the best way forward was to defer any changes until the coming financial year so the issue could be re-examined during Budget discussions.<\/p>\n

Mayor Brett Otto noted that a workshop to look at Council’s fees and charges has been scheduled for May 9.<\/strong><\/p>\n

He suggested that might be an appropriate time to revisit the matter.<\/p>\n

The motion to defer any increases until next year’s Budget was carried unanimously.<\/p>\n