8/3/2019 Reduction in General Rates - Mayor Allan Sutherland

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July 1, 2010

AMALGAMATION SAVINGS BENEFIT MORETON BAY RATEPAYERS

50% of owner occupied residential ratepayers to get a reduction in general rates

Moreton Bay Regional Councils proven ability to achieve ongoing amalgamationsavings has delivered its average owner occupied residential ratepayer the best ratingoutcome in Queensland.

Mayor Allan Sutherland said councils multi-million dollar operational savings werehaving a direct effect on rates.

The average change in general rates for residential owner occupied properties is adecrease of around 3.4 per cent, Mayor Sutherland said.

Fifty per cent of Moreton Bays owner occupied residential ratepayers will receive areduction in their general rate compared to last year.

That means one out of every two owner occupied ratepayers who live in houses willnotice a decrease in their general rates.

A further 43 per cent of Moreton Bays owner occupied residential ratepayers willreceive an increase of less than $2 a week.

Overall this is a strong outcome, achieved after just two years and few months of thiscouncil.

It is made all the more extraordinary given that many of the goods and services we relyon to provide council services and facilities to the community have experiencedsignificant cost hikes.

Moreton Bay Regional Council Australias third largest council - adopted its 2010/11

budget this morning.

Mayor Sutherland said besides containing plenty of region-building capital works andprojects, the budget clearly conveyed the strong financial credentials of Moreton BayRegional Council.

Our financial strength and more specifically our ability to cut costs whilst continuing toprovide our community with the services and facilities they expect is delivering realbenefits to ratepayers and the local community, Mayor Sutherland said.

During 2010/11 this councils savings per annum since amalgamation will be $25

million.

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These savings are a direct result of amalgamation. They are being achieved byeliminating duplication and streamlining processes.

From our perspective, the savings to date are just the beginning. The 2010/11 to2012/13 budget contains $75 million in accumulative amalgamation savings.

Mayor Allan Sutherland said the budget was the most significant in 130 years of localgovernment in the region.

The 2010/11 budget heralds the introduction of one regional rating policy for allMoreton Bay ratepayers and therefore is an important milestone in our amalgamationjourney, Mayor Sutherland said.

Its also a budget that continues to honour what has always been this councils corepromise to the community - to ensure the amalgamated Moreton Bay Regional Councilis working for them.

Mayor Sutherland said Moreton Bay Regional Councils savings success had allowed itto fund a $35 million two-year water subsidy to help residents adapt to new waterarrangements.

The subsidy, which will be provided to all water customers, is the only one of its type inQueensland, Mayor Sutherland said.

In 2010/11, we will provide all water customers with a 50 per cent subsidy on anyincrease in their water and sewerage access charges.

We have always said we want to be a caring and compassionate council. We feel wehave an obligation to share the amalgamation savings with our community, to help itadjust to the biggest reform of water services in Queenslands history.

ENDS

Robert DraycottMedia, Marketing and Communications Unit

Tel: 3480 6436