INDIGO Shire is on track to take Wodonga's crown for having the highest residential rates in North East Victoria. Data uploaded yesterday to the state government's Know Your Council website showed the average residential rate for Indigo in 2018-19 was $1902.80, just 58 cents below Wodonga's $1903.38. It is tipped to exceed Wodonga by $11 in 2019-20, $42 in 2020-21, $76 in 2021-22 and $117 in 2022-23. Traditionally Wodonga has had the region's highest rates and some of the steepest in Victoria. However, the city's average household rate for 2018-19 of $1903.38 has dropped from last year, when it was $2095.58. The fall means Wodonga is below the Borough of Queenscliffe ($2018.01) with the two having been in the bracket of top rating regional councils in Victoria. However, Wodonga average residential rates are still higher than other regional cities, with Wangaratta at $1825, Ballarat $1695, Bendigo $1758 and Geelong $1585. Rates for other North East shires are Alpine ($1753.34), Benalla ($1821.20), Moira ($1871.26) and Towong ($1504.89). The newly compiled data also covered waste, swimming pools, roads, animal care, libraries and planning. Garbage bin collection costs per bin were $62.10 in Wodonga, $122.02 in Wangaratta and $199.15 in Towong. Just over 70 per cent of kerbside waste was diverted from landfill in Wodonga, compared to 14.69 in Towong and 39.42 in Alpine. The per visit cost to Wodonga Council of WAVES rose to $7.41 from $5.82 with it tied to the main pool being retiled and delaying the season opening. In the North East, Wodonga and Alpine residents are the most satisfied with their roads with 64 of 100 happy, Moira are least pleased at 49. The same councils also have the highest number of animals reclaimed from pounds, around 60 per cent, while in Towong there has been a big fall from 50 to 22.22 per cent. Indigo residents are the North East's most bookish with 18.99 per cent active library members, compared to 10.7 in Wodonga and 10.56 in Towong. Planning applications took 45 days, up from 38, in Wodonga with a lack of staff and increase in applications blamed for the blowout. Costs of planning services per application rose from $2587 to $3942 in Wodonga with four VCAT planning appeals cited as the reason. Wodonga also had a jump in governance costs per councillor, with that figure going from $43,734 to $53,231. It was attributed to the expense of recruiting a new chief executive as was a spike in the number of Wodonga decisions made at closed meetings. That mark went from 2.65 per cent to 9.21.
On the rise: Indigo Shire's residential rate average is set to overtake Wodonga's.
INDIGO Shire is on track to take Wodonga's crown for having the highest residential rates in North East Victoria.
Data uploaded yesterday to the state government's Know Your Council website showed the average residential rate for Indigo in 2018-19 was $1902.80, just 58 cents below Wodonga's $1903.38.
It is tipped to exceed Wodonga by $11 in 2019-20, $42 in 2020-21, $76 in 2021-22 and $117 in 2022-23.
Traditionally Wodonga has had the region's highest rates and some of the steepest in Victoria.
The fall means Wodonga is below the Borough of Queenscliffe ($2018.01) with the two having been in the bracket of top rating regional councils in Victoria.
However, Wodonga average residential rates are still higher than other regional cities, with Wangaratta at $1825, Ballarat $1695, Bendigo $1758 and Geelong $1585.
Rates for other North East shires are Alpine ($1753.34), Benalla ($1821.20), Moira ($1871.26) and Towong ($1504.89).
The newly compiled data also covered waste, swimming pools, roads, animal care, libraries and planning.
Garbage bin collection costs per bin were $62.10 in Wodonga, $122.02 in Wangaratta and $199.15 in Towong.
Just over 70 per cent of kerbside waste was diverted from landfill in Wodonga, compared to 14.69 in Towong and 39.42 in Alpine.
Key factor: Tiles being replaced at Wodonga's WAVES Olympic pool last year contributed to higher costs for the council.
In the North East, Wodonga and Alpine residents are the most satisfied with their roads with 64 of 100 happy, Moira are least pleased at 49.
The same councils also have the highest number of animals reclaimed from pounds, around 60 per cent, while in Towong there has been a big fall from 50 to 22.22 per cent.
Indigo residents are the North East's most bookish with 18.99 per cent active library members, compared to 10.7 in Wodonga and 10.56 in Towong.
Planning applications took 45 days, up from 38, in Wodonga with a lack of staff and increase in applications blamed for the blowout.
Costs of planning services per application rose from $2587 to $3942 in Wodonga with four VCAT planning appeals cited as the reason.
Wodonga also had a jump in governance costs per councillor, with that figure going from $43,734 to $53,231.
