QUEANBEYAN residents can expect to pay a little more in general rates next financial year, as the council seeks a “one-off” rate variation.

At a Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council (QPRC) meeting on April 13, councillors agreed to a recommendation to apply to the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) for a “one-off” 2.5 per cent increase in the amount of general rates it could collect.

It will mean an extra $22 a year for residential ratepayers, $46 more for those on farmland, and $96 for businesses.

Council’s appeal to increase rates comes after a backlash from councils across the state, following the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) ruling that councils could not increase rate revenue (rate peg) more than 0.7 per cent in the 2022-2023 financial year.

QPRC mayor Kenrick Winchester said the proposed rate rise was “fair” and in line with previous rate increases over the last five years.

“It wouldn’t be financially sustainable for us to only increase rates by 0.7 per cent,” Cr Winchester said.

“When you are increasing wages and salaries by 2 per cent, but you can only increase rates by 0.7 per cent, then you’ll fall behind.

“We are still behind, but not as much as we would be if it was 0.7 per cent.

“It’s a fair amount – 2.5 per cent- and is not out of line with previous increases over the last five years since merging.”

If approved, the 2.5 per cent rate rise would bring in $1 million in additional rate income each year, which will be “used to fund its service obligations set for 2022/23″ according to the motion that was passed.

Information – as part of the motion – indicates that if council didn’t apply for the rate variation, lost revenue would amount to over $4.1 million in six years.

A decision isn’t expected until June 21.