Council staff, GM Peter Bascomb, Gordon Cunningham and Bill Ellison gave a powerpoint presentation outlining Council's objectives, draft budget and details of incoming rates and charges.

Having advertised the meetings (there was one in Bungendore the following evening to which 8 people turned out), and having the draft Management Plan and Budget on public exhibition, Mr Bascomb said that only one submission had so far been received by Council.

The major burden to ratepayers will be the replacement of the Braidwood Sewerage Treatment Plant and the new Water Treatment Plant.

With the 'bottom right hand corner' amount (rates plus the charges for waste, water and sewerage), Braidwood residents can expect a rise of around 45% next financial year.

Business' in Braidwood however is in for an even steeper rise of up to 78%. One local business owner, is in the unhappy position of having two large water connections to his business and may be forced to pay over $19,000 just for the connections. Mr Ellison explained that to lower those business charges would mean raising the amounts charged to residents.

One Councillor said that only increasing development would ease the burden for all ratepayers, but several attending including a local real estate agent argued that the new charges would discourage development, would have investors selling up and force some people to leave.

With a 9.9% increase to the rate cap, Council will gain and extra $514,000, with which it plans to set aside for road resheeting and resealing.

The Plan will be formally adopted by Council after consideration of submissions received at a Council meeting to be held in Bungendore tomorrow night.