25 March 2024
By Hannah Wilcox
Plans are afoot to increase fees and charges for the next financial year by North Sydney Council, in some cases by more than the consumer price index.
The changes, to be considered by councillors tonight, include the introduction of a new tiered fee structure for food and non-food stalls at events.
Stallholders currently do not have to pay anything to participate at most events.
Daily fees for food stalls will see premium events increase from $0 to $1000, whilst those looking to host a stall at large events will be set back $500.
Those looking to participate in medium events will have to fork out $250 with small events costing $140.
Meanwhile, non-food stallholders will be slapped with a $295 fee for premium events, $195 for large events and $95 for medium.
Non-for-profit stalls and special events will continue to be free.
“The introduction of this fee is not expected to have a material impact on customers. The cost will be reflective of the scale of the event and their likely revenue,” Council’s Draft Fees and Charges Schedule 2024/2025 document read.
It stated the budget would not be impacted by the fee increase as income from the events is “relatively small”, or less than $60,000.
Casual parking in carparks around the area will also see an increase in hourly rate.
In Ridge Street Carpark, the casual rate for the first hour or part will go up from $9 to $9.50 with adjustments to “cover administration costs”.
The casual rate for Holtermann Street Carpark will remain with the first two hours free, with patrons being charged an extra ten cents for the first hour following their free period.
It will stay the same for Hume Street Carpark’s first two hours free. For the first hour after the free period rates will rise from $6.80 to $8, alongside residential parking increases, from “increased demand at this site due to the Metro development”.
The adjustment is expected to bring in an additional $500,000 in revenue.
Members of Northern Suburbs Basketball Association should note the discounted night flat parking rate will be increased $2 to $9.
Alexander Street Carpark will see a $0.60 rate increase for the first hour after the free two hour period, whilst Nicholson Street will see a $1 rise.
Casual hourly parking rates will go up $1 to $11 at Ward Street Carpark.
Overall, 34 new fees and charges are proposed. 29 existing fees and charges are proposed to be discontinued although in some cases this is because they are being replaced by differently applied or structured charges.
It comes less than a month after North Sydney Council was found to be the third largest issuer of parking fines in the Greater Sydney area, issuing a fine every ten minutes on average.
NSW Government released statistics on March 10 revealing 51,251 ticketless parking fines were handed out in 2023, totalling $8,668,878.
The new fees and charges will be introduced from July 1 should they be approved tonight.