Ti Tree residents and visitors alike are embracing a new initiative by the Central Desert Shire Council. The Op-Shop at Ti Tree is being run as a CDEP program in which the participants can learn real skills in a genuine retail environment. Participants operate a cash register, handle money and assist customers with their purchases. The participants are also learning valuable behind the scenes skills such as keeping the store area clean, tidy and orderly, keeping the work area safe, balancing cash at the end of the day, as well as promoting, advertising and stock rotation. The hope is that many of the budding retail workers may eventually run their own businesses.

The Op shop is open Tuesdays and Thursdays in Ti Tree Town with a smaller version at Pmara Jutunta open all day Monday.

The Council has had clothes donated by many people both locally and from inter-state.  The Uniting Church in Alice springs has been a consistent and welcome supporter over the past few months and has enabled the shop to get off to such a successful start. The Ti Tree Op Shop has also started having some furniture donated and this is proving to be a popular addition to the store.

The Central Desert Shire Council welcomes community feedback on its rating review discussion paper.  A new rating strategy, which Council anticipates will be finalised and adopted in February 2012, will be developed following community consultation in the coming months.

Shire President Norbert Patrick believes that a full and public review of the rating discussion paper will help the Council consider the views of the community. "We have now got to the stage where it is important that we consult with the community by distributing a range of reports and information, while seeking feedback and comments," the Shire President said.

“The direct mail out offers information on the rating strategy including what Council sets out to achieve, how a rating strategy effects different ratepayers, how rates are calculated, charges, the current rating structure and further rate models as examples.”

Council is urging the community to provide feedback and comment on the recommendations of the discussion paper being:

• Rates continue to be charged on conditionally rateable properties, i.e. pastoral and mining leases.
• Rates are increased beyond CPI to partially compensate for an anticipated reduction in grant revenue and to adjust for the understatement of the CPI to the cost increases experienced by the Shire.
• That a fixed rate continues to apply to residential properties within the Central Desert Shire district.
• The current structure of minimum rates continues to be applied with appropriate indexing.
• The Shire continues to use the Unimproved Capital Value as its basis of the assessed value of allotments within the shire area.
• The Council considers between the CPI and 10% indexing for rates in 2012/2013.

Central Desert’s Chief Executive Officer, Roydon Robertson said the Shire is looking forward to receiving as much feedback as possible to ensure the 2012 rating strategy is fair and equitable.

“As well as offering direct mail outs, all of the information can either be downloaded from the Shire’s website or can be collected from the Shire offices.  An online survey via the Shire’s website is also available to the community and we welcome all residents and ratepayers to use this facility.” he said.

Residents, ratepayers and other interested groups should ensure their submission is to the Central Desert Shire by 1st January 2012. 

Council will be considering the outcome of the consultation in its February 2012 Council meeting.

For more information please refer to the Shire's website http://www.centraldesert.nt.gov.au/rating-review-2011.

Ends.

For more information please contact Roydon Robertson Chief Executive Officer on 8958 9531.