A group of Lakelands residents left the council chambers disappointed on Tuesday night after the City of Mandurah refused to approve their rates reduction petition.
The residents, who live at the Latitude retirement village, said they already pay strata fees to complex owner Peet for the maintenance of the village’s public spaces and therefore, the City of Mandurah should reduce their annual rates.
The council, they said, only collects their rubbish, since all road, kerb, and verge keeping is carried out by the village owner.
“We are not looking at anything major,” one of the Latitude residents said.
“We maintain our own verges and public spaces, it’s fair to ask for a rate reduction.”
City of Mandurah Fred Riebeling reminded residents that resident rates were not only used to upkeep verges and kerbs but also to maintain community infrastructure such as sporting centres, the road network, public parks and any other council-owned assets.
The council considered that paying strata fees made the residents no different to any other strata title owner, and considered that the rate reduction was not a cost which should be borne by the wider community.
There are currently two options for residents seeking a rate reduction in Mandurah, which include rate exemptions for charitable organisations and rate concessions for land which is to be enjoyed by the community.
Latitude retirement village, a privately owned estate, fell into none, the council found.
“The principle is clear; the cost of maintaining private assets is the responsibility of the asset owners jointly,” the City of Mandurah said.
“It is not a cost which should be borne by the wider community in the form of a rate reduction or concession.
“It is not the role of local government to intervene in private arrangements which exist between residents and village and strata operators.”
The City of Mandurah lost an appeal over a decision exempting the Royal Australian Airforce Association (RAAFA) retirement estate in Erskine from paying rates in November.
The retirement estate lodged a number of objections over their 2008 to 2012 rates notices, arguing the organisation was a charity and therefore exempt from rates under the Local Government Act.
However, the City appealed to the State Appeals Tribunal, which agreed the RAAFA estate was not rateable, and then twice to the Western Australian Supreme Court’s court of appeal.
But the Supreme Court, including Chief Justice Wayne Martin, found RAAFA used the land exclusively for charitable purposes.
The decision costed the City $250,000 in annual rates from the estate and $144,000 in legal fees.