A last-ditch effort to introduce a rate freeze in the Macedon Ranges council budget was knocked back after a lengthy debate.
During council’s June 18 meeting, Cr Daniel Young proposed slashing rates across the shire.
Council’s draft budget proposed an average rate rise of 3 per cent for 2025-26, but Cr Young proposed council freeze rates instead.
He estimated the move would save ratepayers more than $1.5 million, equating to about 1 per cent of council’s total budget.
“I really want to stress that we have an opportunity for council to hold the line on rates,” Cr Young said.
“What we’re talking about here is out of the $120 million of expenditure that we have in our entire budget, the amount of rates I’m trying to reduce passing on to the ratepayers is a measly $1.5 million that we then get to go and have a look at and try to find that in savings.”
Cr Kate Kendall and Cr Alison Joseph both spoke in support of the motion, with all other councillors firmly against, taking issue with the riskiness of the proposal.
Councillors also raised concerns that the proposal could delay the implementation of the budget by up to three months while council established a committee to review possible savings to accomodate the rates freeze.
“I do want to be quite clear with the public that the amount of money that’s being returned to the household on average will be $55 per annum. That represents $13.75 per quarter,” Cr Christine Walker said.
She said this rate increase is essential to council operations.
“I think we have to be very careful to not take a wrecking ball to our budget and to our council,” she said.
“We have to be very cautious at this point in time, and we don’t want to get started into some radical cutting exercises that may deliver less to the community and cause us harm.”
The motion was lost, with the original proposed budget adopted.
