GANNAWARRA Shire Council has responded to the plea of farmers and retained differential rating for all land categories.
The abandonment of a draft budget proposal followed receipt of 59 submissions opposing the incremental reduction of differential rating to create a standard rate within four years.
Both dryland and irrigation farmers decried council’s earlier claim of the move to a “fair and equitable” rate structure.
After 21 people addressed council recently, 11 ratepayers asked council further questions about the rating decision-making process on Wednesday before the final resolution.
Despite most angst coming from farmers, the mayor, Cr Brian Gibson stressed that council governed for all citizens in determining an equitable rate distribution.
Council resolved to adopt the proposed annual 2017-2018 budget with a number of adjustments.
Cr Mark Arians successfully moved that council retain a differential rating structure for residential, commercial/industrial, dryland farming and irrigation district farming.
He also flagged that council would proceed to “lobby alongside the community” to find solutions to long-term problems confronting all small rural councils.
Cr Sonia Wright supported the motion. She said that no rating system was perfect.
“We have many kilometres of rural roads, people with reduced incomes finding it more and more difficult.
“The farmer on the edge of the shire who accesses few shire services, the retailers waiting for people to come through their doors, the pensioner on limited income, all challenged by the ability to pay.
“We have actively debated, we have listened intently.”
Cr Charlie Gillingham said that community input had been “fantastic” and he hoped that council could continue to work with the community to find a fairer solution.
Cr Lorraine Learmonth said that she supported the principle, but suggested that support for dryland farmers was too high.
Cr Gibson said that council had listened to residents.
“People said they didn’t want a standard rate, so we’ve changed our strategy,” he said.
