Councillor Mike Scott recently approached council’s general manager Ian Rogan asking him to investigate the cost to council of a one-off rebate to pensioners to help off-set the proportion of the 2008/2009 rate rise. The rebate would have been equivalent to the increase in rates over and above the 3.2 per cent rate pegging increase.

The matter of affordability of rate rises for pensioners arose in feedback on the draft management plan at council’s special meeting last month, where council resolved to make representations to the State Government to the fact no adjustment in the pensioner rebate had been made for more than 20 years.

Mr Rogan said such a rebate would not be reimbused by the State Government.