Councillor asks minister to rule

Written by STEVEN BURKE. Source: Wangaratta Chronicle

MINISTERIAL discretion could save St John’s Village residents from paying municipal rates.

That’s what Rural City of Wangaratta councillor, Lauren O’Neill, is hoping, after she contacted the office of Local Government Minister Richard Wynne this week in response to council’s decision to impose rates on village residents from the 2009/10 financial year onwards.

Council passed the motion by a vote of three to two at a meeting in Edi Upper on Tuesday night, after it received legal advice that the units at St John’s were rateable.

Cr O’Neill, who voted opposing rating residents along with Cr Rozi Parisotto, has referred the matter to Mr Wynne, asking for a ministerial ruling on the issue.

"I’ve spoken with the minister’s office and they are quite willing to look at the issue," Cr O’Neill said.

"It’s hard to say (what the decision will be) as we’ve got a situation where two councils (Colac-Otway Shire and Rural City of Wangaratta) have two