Street cleaning, park maintenance, library programs and community events may need to be scaled back in North Sydney without increased revenue. Infrastructure such as roads, parks, community centres, seawalls and stormwater systems could also deteriorate.
In early 2025, Council applied to the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) for a rate increase to maintain services, address infrastructure backlogs, and plan for the future, which was refused.
IPART recommended further consultation with the community and council is calling on residents and businesses to help shape the future of local services, assets and infrastructure by participating in its ‘Let’s talk’ community consultation, open until midnight on Friday 29 August.
Mayor Zoë Baker said the consultation is a critical opportunity for the community to help council find a workable compromise between service levels, infrastructure needs and the rates required to support them.
“We’re being upfront with our community,” said Mayor Baker. “We need your help to make some tough decisions. What matters most to you? What are you willing to pay for? Your input will help guide the difficult decisions ahead.”
The consultation aims to understand what services the community values most, what levels of service and conditions of assets and infrastructure are expected, and whether there is willingness to pay more to maintain or improve them. Feedback will be gathered through a short community survey, independently managed by Micromex Research.
Council has also been working hard behind the scenes to improve productivity and reduce costs. Staff have implemented a range of efficiency measures to stretch every dollar further. But these alone are not enough to close the funding gap.
“Council is committed to transparency and community-led decision-making,” Mayor Baker said. “This is a vital opportunity for every community member to help shape the future of North Sydney. We want everyone to have their say.”
Register and have your say here.
