( including properties in: Bambra, Philip, Luggs, McConachy, Pearse, Aireys, Boundary,Bree, Brent, Gilbery, Great Ocean Road, Hopkins, Kurrajong, panorama, Taroona) be warned:
You will be charged from $200, $550, $3000, $6000, $10000, $20,000 and some up to DOUBLE these fees for drains, sealing of roads and new pathways that Council CANNOT AFFORD to build and that Aireys Inlet residents DO NOT WANT.
Council sent letters advising this charge while many people are still away on holiday, with a deadline of February 9 for objection, advising that no objection will be taken as support!!
Council has instituted a "SPECIAL CHARGE SCHEME" to force resident to pay for these works.
This is undemocratic and unfair in the extreme.
It is also unaffordable, and unnecessary.
WHAT COUNCIL'S LETTER DOES NOT TELL YOU:
If there are not more than 50% objections in by Feb 9, council will proceed.
( Local Govt Act 1958 section 163 and also section 163B regarding
Objection process relating to certain special rates and charges)
SPECIAL RATE objections:
Council's own Charter describes their role as:
1. Advocacy (they are NOT advocating on our behalf here. There has been very little consultation, and the farcical Citizen's Jury advice has been ignored.)
2. Improve quality of life ( sealed roads increase traffic, increase speeds, noise, accidents, stress as indeed does such poor representation. Such outrageous and unexpected charges on households in a time of economic downturn is no improvement to quality of life.
In fact this system makes it IMPOSSIBLE for households to budget, as they will never know when council might want to levy another series of 'Special Rates" )
3. Services and facilities that are accessible and equitable. (this is Inequitable in the extreme - some properties paying $48,000 for a few meters of drain while others in the precinct are now paying nothing at all.)
4. Efficient and effective use of resources (Council has spent a fortune - $15m according to council officer - renovating their own council chambers and now claims they have no funds to maintain Aireys Inlet. Council is living above and beyond its means. )
5. Promote business and employement opportunities ( Council is breaking the banks of many local tourism businesses that serve the local ecomony and that attract visitors who spend in the area. Further, households and businesses will not be able to afford to spend any discretionary funds with local tradespeople on painting, new carpets, renovations, any other improvements after council has crippled us with charges like $10,000! This suffocates local business, it does not promote it.)
Councillors are not representing their constituents here.
Add your objection to the growing groundswell by writing to your councillor:
and importantly lodge your objection with:
Mr Sunil Bhalla
c/- Surf Coast Shire
PO BOX 350 TORQUAY 3228 by Feb 9th.
