West Ward candidate criticises proposed water rate rise
Central Coast Council water rates will increase by at least 17 per cent plus inflation next financial year, if the Council gets its way, according to former Gosford West Ward council candidate Mr Kevin Brooks.
This is regardless of what residents say in "public consultations", he said.
"Council is applying to the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal for a minimum of 17-22 per cent increase regardless of the current consultation.
"This on top of a 51 per cent increase over the last three years," said Mr Brooks, who has taken an interest in Council finances and attended a "consultation forum".
Mr Brooks said the only reason for the consultation was to find out if ratepayers were prepared to pay even more than a 17 per cent rate rise.
He said that information provided to the forum was biased, manipulative and inaccurate, with loaded questions to achieve a predetermined result, and that he had complained to the Tribunal accordingly.
"Water rates have already increased 51 per cent in just three years, yet independent customer satisfaction surveys by the Tribunal suggest services have not improved.
"We already pay significantly more than Sydney and Hunter for a worse service.
"Another 20-per-cent-plus rate hike so soon after the last one cannot be justified.
"Central Coast Water must be one of the most poorly managed water utilities in the developed world.
"Throwing more and more money at a poorly managed and inefficient organisation will not bring about improvements," he said.
"They don't have a revenue problem.
"They have a management problem."
He said: "Rather than slugging ratepayers yet again, they need to address management performance, efficiency, productivity and culture."
Mr Brooks said: "Historically, Central Coast prices have always been compared to Sydney and Hunter as these are the big three water utilities in NSW, the only ones of this scale.
"This time, however, because Central Coast is now far more expensive than Sydney and Hunter, Council staff told the forum to compare their prices with two much smaller water utilities with only a quarter as many properties connected.
"They also provided the forum with inaccurate information about current service levels.
"The effect of this was that the improvements they promised in return for even higher prices above the 17-22 per cent increase could actually deliver lower service levels than currently provided.
"For example, they promised to reduce complaints to 5.6 per 1000 properties in return for even higher bills, but complaints are currently running at 3.0 per 1000 properties, so they can actually deliver a worse service for the extra money."
He said that "Despite affordability being voted as one of the top three values by customers in 2023 and 2024, it was not included in the top three values presented to the Forum, giving a false impression the community does not consider affordability to be important."
Mr Brooks also questioned where the decision for a 17-22 per cent rates hike was taken.
He said it was not presented to a public Council meeting where reports could be scrutinised.
"Where was that decision taken and by whom?"
SOURCE:
Media release, 7 May 2025
Kevin Brooks, Bensville