Glamorgan Spring Bay Council Rates Methodology

The petition of the undersigned residents and ratepayers of the Glamorgan Spring Bay Municipality, Tasmania express their discontent with the Glamorgan Spring Bay Council following its recent change in Municipal Rating Methodology from Average Area Rates (AAR) to Assessed Annual Value Rates (AAV). It is noted that the Council implemented a massive change to the rating system, during an ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, with no meaningful community consultation and with a high degree of stealth and secrecy.

Your petitioners, therefore, request the House to call on the Minister for Local Government to:

1.        Convene a public forum between the Council and ratepayers so that the Council can explain its recent lack of governance and the implementation of the             AAV rating methodology for 2021/2022 as opposed to the previous AAR method used since 2012;

2.       Require the Glamorgan Spring Bay Council to attend the meeting and freely communicate all relevant information requested;

3.       Require the Council to rescind the 2021/2022 Rates and revert to the previous AAR methodology;

4.       Stand down the Council until a new election is held, if the Council refuses to rescind the 2021/22 Rates and revert to the previous AAR methodology; and

5.       Re-instate the 4 wards to the Glamorgan Spring Bay Municipality and place a cap of 2 Councillors per ward to ensure equal representation across the            Municipality.