Eighty six NSW local councils approved for 2022‑23 Additional Special Variation
IPART has approved applications by 86 NSW councils to increase their rates above the level of the annual rate peg. The modest increases are between 1.6% and 2.5% and were approved following an additional special variation process.
Each year we calculate a rate peg which sets how much councils can increase the revenue they collect from rates. This year the rate peg was set at a minimum of 0.7%, with some further increases allowed for councils with growing populations. The rate peg was lower than many councils expected. The additional special variation process gave councils an opportunity to increase this figure.
Applications for an additional special variation were assessed against guidelines provided by the Office of Local Government. The guidelines require councils to show that they had budgeted for higher income than that provided by the rate peg and that they need the additional money to deliver on the projects they have already planned and included in their budgets. Further information is available in our Media Release.
We have prepared a table of the approved additional special variations for all 86 councils.
Final report
The final reports on our assessment of each council’s application are available from the list below.