Hornsby Council needs to improve ageing infrastructure and build new facilities to meet the changing needs of its community.

Council has decided to pursue a rates increase (infrastructure levy) of 5.8% which will have an impact for 20 years and which, if successful, will commence in July 2010. This will cost the average ratepayer about $60 - $70 more in rates per year.  The funds generated will be spent on infrastructure, namely upgrading the Hornsby pool, renewing the Hornsby pedestrian overbridge and providing recreational facilities in Old Mans Valley. 

Councillors, in collaboration with the community, also want to allocate a total of $1.5 million per ward over two years to local projects. Residents may nominate these local ward-based projects.  To nominate projects please go to the 'Nominate projects' tab of Council's infrastructure levy web site future.hornsby.nsw.gov.au.

This forum was established on 21 October 2009 as part of the consultation process to give you information about a possible rate increase, to help you understand the reasons for the proposal and to enable your input. It was updated on 11 January 2010 to reflect Council's decision in December 2009 to pursue an infrastructure levy, to seek your comments on the proposed infrastructure levy and to give feedback about previous consultations.

A Community Consultation day was held to consult residents about their priorities for the future and to discuss the infrastructure levy on Saturday 21 November 2009 from 10am to 4pm at Asquith Leagues Club. There have been a number of community engagements to date, as well as a further two community meetings which were focused on the business case driving the proposed rate variation.

Please take some time and learn about the proposal for an infrastructure levy by reviewing the Issues Papers in the Library on the right hand side of this page. A web site providing detailed information regarding the infrastructure levy has also been created and is available at: future.hornsby.nsw.gov.au. We encourage your participation and comments. 

This resource is provided for you to contribute and is available for comment until Monday 19 April 2010.  Please help us by contributing. Council values its community and it is important to us that our community is engaged and informed.

A similar consultation space has been created as a resource for you to comment on the Hornsby Shire Community Plan 2010-2020. Please go to http://bangthetable.com/hornsbycommunityplan.