City's 2023-24 Budget and potential Western Power street lighting charge increases

The City of Cockburn's response to PerthNow Cockburn about the City's 2023-24 Budget and potential Western Power street lighting charge increases

Question: What is your expected timeline for adopting your budget?
Answer: The City is planning to adopt its 2024 financial year budget by the end of June.
 
Question: Should local ratepayers expect a rate rise or a decrease this year, or a similar bill to last year?
Answer: Rates have not yet been determined and are ultimately decided by the Council. However, the City is endeavouring to balance its budget while restricting any possible rates increase to what is absolutely required.
 
Question: What are the biggest factors in any change for 2023-24? Is it inflation, or external factors such as the potential Western Power street lighting charge increase of 44 per cent?
Answer: Like all organisations, the City is facing rising costs in its workforce, project delivery and service contracts. This abnormally high increase from Western Power is an extreme example of this.
 
Question: If the Western Power proposal was to come to fruition, how would it impact the council’s budget plan?
Answer: The City’s budget planning is already at a progressed stage, making it difficult to absorb an increase of this magnitude.
 
Question: Would residents rates be impacted by the potential increase in street lighting charge or would the money be funded from another pathway if it were to go ahead?
Answer: Given the very late nature of the change, absorbing this increase will require Council to decide whether to increase rates further next year, make cuts to services and projects, or divert savings held for future needs.    
In the long term, increases in the City’s operating costs like these need to be funded from rates.
 
Question: What is the current cost for street lighting and what could this rise see the charge increased to?
Answer: The City currently pays around $3.0 million for street lighting and anticipates this to increase by at least $1.0 million, if approved by the Economic Regulation Authority.  
 
Question: What does the City think of Western Power’s proposal, were you blindsided by it?
Answer: The City is extremely disappointed by the magnitude of the increase and the lack of notice.