Building a better community - Special Rate Variation

Consultation period has now ended. Thank you to everyone who submitted their feedback.

The Blacktown local government area is one of the fastest-growing cities in Australia. Thousands of new families are choosing to live here, bringing energy and opportunity, but also placing greater demand on our roads, drains, parks, and shared community spaces. Even if you’re not one of the many people using a shared community space - library, pool, or arts centre, the reality is that most of what Council provides — safe roads, working stormwater systems, clean parks, sporting fields and playgrounds, well-kept footpaths — benefits the whole community, every day.

To keep up with this growth, and to prevent our services from falling behind, Council is proposing a Special Rate Variation – an increase above the standard annual rate peg rise. We’re proposing this to:

• ensure our new or enhanced NSW Government-funded facilities - pools, libraries, can operate effectively without reducing funding for core services you rely on
• help limit the asset maintenance and renewal backlog of works needing to be done so our roads, footpaths, drains, parks, sports fields and playgrounds remain safe and reliable
• invest to improve efficiency and local jobs by funding 2 new public administration centres that will help deliver better services, customer experience and support the economy.

It’s a proposal that ensures the costs to meet the needs of a growing city are shared by all and the benefits are felt across the entire community.

Please read on about the details of Council’s proposed Special Rate Variation and how you can provide feedback.

Why do we need a Special Rate Variation?

Our population is predicted to grow from 450,000 to more than 600,000 in the next 20 years, the same as the population of Tasmania.

The income we receive from our growth is not enough to fund our ongoing, or future costs, to ensure current levels of service, adequately maintain current assets, operate and maintain new community shared spaces as well as upgrade and invest in new public administration centres so Council maintains and can increase service levels for a growing city.

What is the Special Rate Variation proposal?

Council is proposing to apply to the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) for a permanent Special Rate Variation in the 2026/27, 2027/28 and 2028/29 years to provide additional rates income to meet the needs of our growing city.

A Special Rate Variation allows a council to increase its general rates income above the rate peg as set by IPART.

Council is proposing to apply its Special Rate Variation differently over residential and business rating categories which will be a permanent increase in Council’s total income.

How the Special Rate Variation income will be used?

At the end of year 3 of the proposed Special Rate Variation, $90.5 million per year in additional Council income will have been permanently raised.

Council will use $41.5 million, being the assumed rate peg amount, of this income to continue current service and maintenance levels, covering rising costs from inflation and provide limited capacity for new projects or service improvements.

$49.0 million of this income will be used by Council for 3 important purposes as follows:

1. $28.15 million per year for the operation and maintenance of enhanced and or new community shared space projects delivered under the NSW Government’s Western Sydney Infrastructure grants program including Blacktown and Mount Druitt swim centres, extending the Mount Druitt Library and Community Hub, building the Seven Hills Library and Community Hub, an expanded Mount Druitt PCYC, a new First Nations Cultural Hub, and a new, larger Leo Kelly Blacktown Arts Centre
2. $10 million per year for additional asset maintenance and renewal of roads, stormwater systems, clean parks, sporting fields, playgrounds, and footpaths to address the current $108 million backlog
3. $10.9 million per year contribution towards the overall funding strategy for 2 new public administration centres located at Rooty Hill and Blacktown city centre that will deliver better services, customer experience and support the economy.

How will the Special Rate Variation proposal work for residential properties?

We are proposing a permanent increase to your rates as follows:

• in 2026/27 budget year, an increase of 15%
• in 2027/28 budget year, the assumed rate peg will apply
• in 2028/29 budget year, the assumed rate peg will apply.

For more than 70% of residents paying minimum rates you’ll pay an extra $2.19 per week above the assumed rate of $1.10, a total of $3.29 a week, or $171 a year in 2026/27.

The table below shows the average increase for residential properties.

You can look up how the proposed increase will affect your rates by using the rates calculator attached.

How will the Special Rate Variation proposal work for business – general properties?

We are proposing a permanent increase to your rates as follows:

• in 2026/27 budget year, an increase of 15% on all business – general properties
• in 2027/28 budget year, an increase of 8.5% for business – general properties
• in 2028/29 budget year, the assumed rate peg will apply.

The table below shows the average increase for business properties.

How will the Special Rate Variation proposal work for business - subcategory properties?

We are proposing a 3-year permanent increase in your rates as follows:

• in 2026/27 budget year, an increase of 21.3% on all business – subcategory properties
• in 2027/28 budget year, an increase of 17.7% for business – subcategory properties
• in 2028/29 budget year, an increase of 17.1% for business – subcategory properties.

The table below shows the average increase for business properties.

The proposed cumulative increase to overall Council rates (including residential, farmland, business general and business – subcategory properties) is 37.39%, including assumed rate peg increases over the 3-year period.

For more information, please refer to the documents on the right (or below if viewing on a portrait oriented screen).