Ipswich City Council has adopted its annual fees and charges review, with most increases set to remain below inflation as the council seeks to balance cost-of-living pressures with the delivery of essential services.
Mayor Teresa Harding said council had worked to keep fees and charges as low as possible, noting that more than 60 per cent of council fees are set at cost recovery or below.
“Council reviews our fees and charges for ratepayer services every year to ensure we are delivering best value for money for our residents,” Mayor Harding said.
Under the 2026–27 review, most fees and charges will increase by approximately 4.5 per cent, in line with the forecast Council Cost Index. The index reflects anticipated growth in the cost of delivering council services, including wage increases, construction costs and movements in the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
Mayor Harding said the review aimed to minimise cost impacts on residents while ensuring council could continue delivering the services and infrastructure expected by the community.
As part of the changes, council will introduce a new fee of $1.70 per quarter from 1 January 2027 for residents who choose to receive paper copies of their rates notices.
The fee is designed to help recover printing and postage costs and encourage greater uptake of electronic rates notices. Residents who switch to electronic notices will not be charged the fee, while pensioners will remain exempt.
“Council provides electronic rates notices at no cost and this small fee is designed to encourage the uptake of this free service, and assist in minimising paper usage,” Mayor Harding said.
Finance and Governance Committee Chairperson Councillor Paul Tully said council had also reviewed waste management charges while continuing to provide concessions for pensioners.
From 1 July, the fee for disposing of domestic waste at the Riverview Recycling and Refuse Centre will remain at $24 for ratepayers and $19 for pensioners for the first two cubic metres.
Green waste disposal fees will also remain unchanged at 2025 levels, with charges staying at $14 for ratepayers and $11 for pensioners.
Councillor Tully said council had worked hard to limit increases despite ongoing financial pressures.
“We know the community is doing it tough as Australia faces inflation, rising cost of living and the pressures of the international economy,” Cr Tully said.
“Council is working hard to keep costs as low as possible for our community while delivering responsible and fair fees and charges for the many and varied services we provide.”
Council will continue to offer pensioner rebates across a range of services, while discounts for the timely payment of rates and dog registrations will also remain in place.
The fees and charges package forms part of council’s broader efforts to manage rising operational costs while maintaining services and infrastructure for the city’s growing population.
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