Residents call for more time for rates submissions
The Peninsula Resident's Association has called on Central Coast Council to extend the exhibition period for the documents it has prepared in support of its special rate variation submission to the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal.
"The exhibition period is insufficient for residents to be able to give the documents serious consideration, given that they were released almost on Christmas Eve and most community groups and residents are just returning now after their Christmas break," said association secretary Mr Julian Bowker.
"Further, as we are still in the midst of school holidays and the Covid pandemic, the association has requested that the exhibition period be extended for a further four weeks to allow meaningful community engagement.
"The association is opposed to the special rate variation.
"We view it as being onerous, unnecessary and unjustified.
"We do not believe the documents demonstrate a need for a continuation of the variation.
"The association does not accept the council's survey methods, results or interpretation to validly represent community attitudes.
"Insufficient information has been made available, particularly at a local level, for the community to be able to respond with a meaningful alternative.
"No IPART submission should be made before return to democratic decision-making by elected councillors.
"The association has not had time to detail its concerns before the submission deadline."
The Peninsula Residents Association is a voluntary non-profit community group that aims to serve as a non-partisan forum and give the Woy Woy Peninsula community a collective voice on matters affecting its quality of life.
SOURCE:
Media release, 23 Jan 2022
Julian Bowker, Peninsula Residents Association