City of Coffs Harbour Council has voted to approve a voluntary rebate on its Special Rate – Environmental and Domestic Waste charges for eligible pensioners in 2026-27, continuing an almost 30-year effort to support rate relief for local seniors.
The voluntary rebates will cost the City around $670,000 and this has been allowed for in the adopted annual budget.
“Lingering fuel costs and higher inflation are having an impact nationwide, and these voluntary rebates will mean eligible pensioners can expect to save around $87.50 on the Domestic Waste Charge and $26.75 on the Environmental Special Rate – more than $110 all up,” said Mayor, Nikki Williams.
The voluntary rebate is not extended to pensioners with five years of outstanding rates and charges, and where no attempts have been made to establish a suitable payment arrangement or maintain payments against the arrears, the Council outlined in a statement.
Under the Local Government Act 1993, the Council – along with other NSW local governments – has to grant a mandatory rebate to eligible pensioners for rates and charges.
“The total cost of the mandatory rebate to the City is around $2.4 million, reducing to around $1.08 million after the subsidy payment,” Chief Financial Officer Amy Mott said.
“When you add in the voluntary rebates, the total bottom line cost to the City is around $1.75 million.”
Council has also set its rates and annual charges for 2026-27. These include an increase of 3.7% to the Ordinary Rate structure, comprising the 3.1% rate peg and the additional population factor of 0.6% provided by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal.
“Rates and charges help to fund the projects and services in the 2026-27 Operational Plan as well as contributing to the long-term financial sustainability of the City,” Mayor Williams said.
