About this consultation
AlburyCity looks after the things our community relies on every day – local roads and footpaths, parks and playgrounds, libraries, pools, community spaces and many other services that help make Albury a great place to live, work and visit.
Like many councils across NSW, we are facing rising costs to maintain infrastructure, deliver services and support a growing community.
Council's revenue from rates is regulated by the NSW Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART), which sets a limit on how much councils can increase rates each year. This limit is known as the rate peg. For 2026/27, the rate peg has been set at 3.6%.
This challenge is not unique to Albury. Over the past five years, 46 NSW councils have applied for a Special Rate Variation (SRV) to help address financial sustainability challenges and support the delivery of services and infrastructure for their communities.
This means Council is facing a growing gap between the cost of providing services and maintaining infrastructure and the funding available to do so. Without changes, this may lead to a gradual decline in the condition of community assets and the level of services over time.
If a council wishes to increase rates above the annual rate peg, it must apply to IPART for approval through a process known as a Special Rate Variation (SRV).
AlburyCity is now seeking community feedback on three options before making any decision about whether to apply to IPART for a Special Rate Variation commencing in 2027/28.
The three options being considered are:
- Option 1 – No Special Rate Variation (rate peg only)
- Option 2 – A 40% Special Rate Variation phased over three years
- Option 3 – A 42% Special Rate Variation phased over two years
No decision has been made.
Council understands that any increase in rates may be challenging for some members of our community. Support is available through Council's Hardship Policy and flexible payment options for eligible ratepayers.
Your feedback will help Council understand community priorities, concerns and preferences before considering whether to proceed with an application to IPART.
Why are we having this conversation?
AlburyCity looks after the things our community relies on every day, including roads, footpaths, parks, playgrounds, libraries, pools, community spaces and many other local services.
Over time, Council has invested in infrastructure that supports a vibrant and growing regional city. While these investments have delivered significant benefits for our community, they have also increased the cost of maintaining and renewing Council's assets.
Like many councils across NSW, AlburyCity is facing rising costs associated with service delivery, infrastructure maintenance and asset renewal. At the same time, Council's rate income is regulated by IPART through the annual rate peg, which has been set at 3.6% for 2026/27.
While Council has achieved meaningful financial improvements over the past 12 months, including efficiency gains, the rate peg alone is not enough to keep pace with ongoing cost pressures. Over the past five years, 46 NSW councils have applied for a Special Rate Variation (SRV) to help address similar financial sustainability challenges.
Council has undertaken service reviews, efficiency improvements and long-term financial planning to improve its financial position. However, a gap remains between the cost of maintaining services and infrastructure and the funding available to do so.
Without additional income, Council may need to delay infrastructure renewal, extend maintenance timeframes, review service levels or increase reliance on borrowing.
This consultation is about understanding how our community would like Council to balance:
- Affordability
- Maintaining infrastructure
- Delivering services
- Supporting future growth
- Long-term financial sustainability
What is a Special Rate Variation?
A Special Rate Variation (SRV) is an increase to Council rates above the annual rate peg set by IPART.
Before introducing an SRV, councils must:
- Consult with their community
- Consider community feedback
- Submit an application to IPART
- Demonstrate why additional funding is required
- Receive approval from IPART
IPART independently assesses whether an application is justified and reasonable before making a decision.
The options being considered
Council is seeking feedback on three possible pathways for each Residential, Business and Farmland Rates.
Please view each scenario below.
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Option 1 - No SRV (Rate Peg Only) keyboard_arrow_right
Under this option, rates would continue to increase only by the annual rate peg determined by IPART.
For a typical farmland property, this would result in a cumulative increase of approximately $538 over three years, increasing the average annual rate assessment from $4,803 in 2026/27 to $5,341 in 2029/30.
While this would keep increases lower in the short term, it may require Council to delay infrastructure renewal projects, extend maintenance timeframes, review service levels and priorities, or increase reliance on borrowing to fund major projects and asset renewal.
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Option 2 - SRV of 42% over two years keyboard_arrow_right
Under this option, Council would apply for a rate increase phased over three years:
- 14% in 2027/28
- 13% in 2028/29
- 13% in 2029/30
For a typical farmland property, this would result in a cumulative increase of approximately $2,189 over three years, increasing the average annual rate assessment from $4,803 in 2026/27 to $6,992 in 2029/30.
Compared with the rate peg only option, this represents an additional contribution of approximately $3,183 over the three-year period.
This option spreads the increase over a longer period, providing landowners with more time to adjust while improving Council's ability to maintain infrastructure, deliver services and support future growth.
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Option 3 - SRV of 40% over three years keyboard_arrow_right
Under this option, Council would apply for a rate increase phased over two years:
- 21% in 2027/28
- 21% in 2028/29
For a typical farmland property, this would result in a cumulative increase of approximately $2,482 over three years, increasing the average annual rate assessment from $4,803 in 2026/27 to $7,285 in 2029/30.
Compared with the rate peg only option, this represents an additional contribution of approximately $4,657 over the three-year period.
This option would provide additional funding sooner, allowing Council to strengthen its financial position more quickly and reduce the risk of future service reductions, infrastructure decline and increased reliance on borrowing.
What has Council already done?
Consideration of a Special Rate Variation is not occurring in isolation.
Over recent years, Council has undertaken a range of initiatives to improve financial sustainability, including:
- Service planning and reviews
- Community consultation on service priorities
- Independent financial analysis
- Property strategy development
- Service Model Health Check
- Review of developer contributions
- Advocacy for improved funding opportunities
Despite delivering substantial productivity gains and meaningful cost savings in recent years, the annual rate peg has not kept pace with the increasing costs of maintaining infrastructure, delivering essential community services and supporting a growing city.
How we’re collecting feedback
To ensure all voices are included, AlburyCity is working with independent research consultants Micromex.
Micromex will:
- contact a random selection of community members by phone to gather feedback
- securely collect and analyse survey responses
- ensure independence and research best practice
However, if you wish to participate and choose to complete the survey online, you’ll be taken from this page directly to the Micromex survey website. All responses are confidential and will contribute to Council’s final analysis.
This combined approach helps ensure feedback represents a broad cross-section of the community and strengthens the quality of insights informing Council decisions.
Micromex Survey Link
Click here to complete the SRV Survey.
We welcome your feedback on Supporting Albury Today and Tomorrow - Proposed SRV. Submissions will be received until 31 July 2026 and can be submitted via the form below or addressed to:
Team Leader Communications and Engagement
PO Box 323
Albury, NSW 2640
or email us at:
Submissions are not confidential. Submissions, summaries of submissions, and/or names and addresses of people making submissions may be included in publicly available reports to Council and Council's website. Please see our Privacy Policy for more information.