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Indigo Shire Council – Leadership required

The election of the Indigo Mayor will occur on 19th November 2024 for the newly elected council.

The last four years has seen the community ignored with plummeting community satisfaction which hit a record low of 50%.

Click to to read the recent media release.

Indigo Shire Council – Overhaul (Corowa Free Press 2/10/2024)

At the Victorian parliamentary hearing 19 Sep, Local Government Funding and Services, we didn’t hold back.

We raised numerous matters of serious concern about Indigo council’s lack of performance and highlighted the frustration that residents and ratepayers have felt. From back pocket charging of rate payers under the guise of an Environmental Management Contribution charge, to an adopted Rate strategy that continues to create rate spikes for ratepayers, and council ignoring the community and on it went for an hour.

ICV Submission to Victorian Parliamentary inquiry into Funding and Services.

ICV Submission
Introduction (ref 85.1)

https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/4a38b0/contentassets/3b84dc44413d47aaac0c3efb04d570a1/attachment-documents/085.1.-indigo-community-voice-inc_redacted.pdf

Victorian Local Government Inspectorate letter (ref 85)

Budget submission (ref 85.2)
Indigo Council – Rate Victims – Ovens & Murray Advertiser 6/9/2024.     
Ratepayers are now receiving their rate notice as Councillors fail to grasp the significance of the recent rating strategy and ignored fairer system

Soaring rate defaulters should come as no surprise, with a 21% increase with the implementation of the current flawed rate system adopted by councillors. With little to no business acumen Councillors failed to question the proposal by Mr Pinkerton Director of planning and corporate services. 

Indigo Council – Rate Victims.     
Will Councillors step up on 30/7/24 for fairer rates for all?

Indigo Council’s rating system needs an overhaul with proper consideration of the principles of stability and equity. This financial year the average residential vacant landowner will be charged almost $250 more, paying almost 8 times the ministers rate cap of 2.75%. Last year the average farmer paid the price, at over 6 times the rate cap. Every year someone suffers rating inequity and hence the current rate strategy needs to be amended to smooth out erratic rate spikes.

Indigo Council – Rate Victims.     
Will Councillors step up on 30/7/24 for fairer rates for all?

Indigo Council’s rating system needs an overhaul with proper consideration of the principles of stability and equity. This financial year the average residential vacant landowner will be charged almost $250 more, paying almost 8 times the ministers rate cap of 2.75%. Last year the average farmer paid the price, at over 6 times the rate cap. Every year someone suffers rating inequity and hence the current rate strategy needs to be amended to smooth out erratic rate spikes.

Minister responds to Wendy Lovell MP Northern Victoria & Cr Roberta Horne’s 876 community petition for Main Street, Rutherglen to be made safer

Unfortunately, Victorian Minister for Roads & road safety words ring hollow when you consider both the inaction of VicRoads and the current council management that didn’t act, so the Commonwealth pulled $2 million from the project.  Now its time to act & the Mayor needs to recognise Cr Horne’s work rather than riding on her coat tails, AGAIN. More information can be found online in the Border Mail today by reporter Ted Howes https://www.bordermail.com.au/

Councillors need to assert their voice for their community

Buoyed by community support and local media recognising a rise in discontentment with Indigo Council’s bureaucracy, ICV has not stood still. Recent research shows that the stance taken by Indigo Council bureaucracy will be shown to be incorrect and have resulted in councillors being ill informed. Let us see what Councillors stands boldly for their community on 30th July 2024, Re – rate strategy council meeting.

Councillors & Senior management impose unfair rates

Simply put, the majority of elected councillors have failed to stand up for their Indigo community when it comes to rates. Senior management have failed to use the financial tools at their finger tips. Specifically, fine tuning to negate erratic property valuation spikes has not been undertaken. Local Government Victoria has said Council has the power under the Act. Read, The Corowa Free Press, Letter to the Editor. Wed Jul 3rd 2024

Indigo Shire Council imposes excessive rates 

Councillors & Council management have been given the opportunity of creating a fairer rate system for all, taking out the typical annual erratic property market fluctuation spikes that occur. Council have turned a blind eye to farmers last year & this year residential vacant landowners will be hit hard. Next it maybe you. Local Government Victoria have said the power rests with Council!

15 years on $7.5 million in charges, still no closed tip sites.
General rates 2025/26 greater than 7%?

Councillors face the decision this Budget Tue, 25 Jun 2024 to remove the charge known euphemistically as the “Environmental Management Contribution”. Originally setup to rehabilitate 4 closed tip sites 15 years ago, but in 2013/14 started charging for other items, and now in general revenue. At this time clearly a Pub Test failure by Council & Councillors.

Review & submission on Indigo Shire Council’s draft budget 2024/25

Significant matters of concern for the community have come to light after a review and submission by ICV of Indigo Shire Council’s draft budget 2024/25. We look forward to Councillors making significant amendments to the budget to support the community.

Indigo Shire Council – ICV initial draft budget review

Indigo Shire Council’s draft budget is out for the public comment which closes June 4th and ICV encourages the community to comment. This is the first of 3 articles that ICV will publish. We thank the Ovens& Murray advertiser for their recent publishing of the Letters to the Editor on Friday 24th May, Pg 3

Indigo Community Voice (ICV) – Corowa free press (22/5/2024)

ICV are looking into several matters at Indigo Shire Council, but at this time we are focussing our efforts on the Draft budget. Submissions to Indigo Council close June 4th. 

A Rate Levying Method that eliminates Rate Rise Shock

In 2015, Labor introduced the Victorian Local Government Rate Cap, the purpose of which was to ensure that rate increases remain reasonable and manageable for residents and businesses. However, the Rate Cap has consistently failed to achieve fairness for ratepayers in local government areas where Differential Rating is used, as is the case in Indigo Shire Council.

Excessive rates? Do you have Concerns?

Indigo Community Voice Inc. are encouraging/urging Indigo Shire Council ratepayers; including Farmers, Businesses, Residential etc; whose rates have exceeded rate cap last year (3.5%) to express their concerns (rate objection failed/successful) to us.

Cycle of disappointment

Lake Moodemere cycle trail constructed in a flood plain that is regularly inundated by damaging floodwaters is to go ahead, despite an alternative route and requests to Council to reconsider. Border Mail Letters to the Editor 20/4/24

Profound disappointment – Indigo Shire Council questionable transparency & engagement, raised again.

Concerns raised over actions of Councillors who overturned an overwhelming planning rejection of a Development Application for a Floating Sauna, Lake Sambell McConville Avenue Beechworth – Border Mail Letters to the Editor 20/4/24 

Engagement Gaps Threaten Community Trust in Council
An avid Rutherglen cyclist’s attempts to engage with the Indigo Shire Council have unfolded into a saga of silence and inaction, revealing a troubling gap between promised practices and real-world responses. Click to read more.

Indigo Councillors reminded of their duty – Border Mail 18/4/24 

Robin McLiesh reminds Indigo Shire Councillors that their role is to represent their community, not their personal agenda.

Rutherglen locals renew calls for bypass after serious crash & pedestrian death

Hundreds of trucks pass through Rutherglen every day and locals are losing hope that they will ever see a bypass built. Regardless, they say action needs to be taken as a matter of urgency.

ABC Goulburn Murray / By Ashlee Aldridge

Rates – Questionable transparency and rate cap bypass
The Hon. Melissa Horne issued the Victorian Local Government Service Rates and Charges in December 2023. Like Indigo Council’s special charge scheme called the Environmental Management Contribution (EMC) other councils have used charge schemes to bypass the State government rate cap. Local Government Victoria’s 2023/24 Local government Budget Summary, identifies this practice that has bypassed the State governments rate cap. Local Government Service Rates and Charges link

Rates -Report

Indigo Shire Council - Community dissatisfaction at at all time high, worst result in over 10 years

Typically an annual 400+ telephone resident survey is undertaken for each Victoria council ~ Feb to Apr. Indigo Council appears unconcerned by the consistent yearly decline over the last 5 years. Indigo indicators are similar and lower than Strathbogie shire where interim administrator Peter Stephenson was appointed on Dec 6th 2023. 

Survey here