Water rate rise on track to exceed 50 per cent by 2025
Central Coast Council's decision to increase water rates a further 14.13 per cent in July is unwelcome news for Peninsula residents and businesses.
This follows a 17 per cent increase in water rates last July.
In fact, because of Council's application to IPART last year, water rates will be 35 per cent higher by July 2025.
After adding inflation, the nominal four-year increase is on track to exceed 50 per cent.
Yet, despite these massive rate hikes, Council services continue to deteriorate.
At the same Council meeting where the latest increase was approved, Council reported some shocking performance results.
Complaints about water quality are running 28 per cent above target with more than one in a hundred households making formal complaints.
And 14.6 properties per 100 have faced unplanned service interruptions, 27 per cent worse than target.
These are sharp declines in performance despite this year's rate hike.
Central Coast also remains by far the lowest ranked water utility in IPART's customer satisfaction survey published this month.
Overall satisfaction has declined 10 per cent from an already low base since Mr Rik Hart was appointed Administrator and Mr David Farmer chief executive officer.
This shows that throwing more ratepayers' money at poorly-managed and inefficient organisations doesn't necessarily lead to improved performance.
Better management is needed to improve organisational culture, efficiency and productivity.
SOURCE:
Email, 16 Jun 2023
Kevin Brooks, Bensville