A massive spike in water consumption charges and an increase in the amount of money collected for a special island infrastructure fund have pushed up the price of living on the islands.

The council last year introduced a differential rate to raise about $80 per property for sports fields, road works and similar projects.

This will double to about $160 in the next financial year, raising $1.7 million for infrastructure projects in addition to $1.7 million in general revenue spending. About $300,000 will carry over from last year’s fund.

“This year we can now seal roads including Melaleuca Crescent on Lamb Island and Treasure Island Avenue on Karragarra Island, funded by $850,000 from the reserve,” Mayor Melva Hobson said.

Division 5 Councillor Barbara Townsend said she had some concerns about the impact of the differential rate on some ratepayers, but the idea had “a lot of merit” because all money would be spent on the islands.

“As the local councillor charged with the task of representing a group of communities that have so many infrastructure shortfalls, the prospect of having $3.7 million to spend there over the next 12 months is very exciting,” she said.

Division 9 Councillor Karen Williams said the council should not have abandoned the former council’s surplus land sale program on the islands which would have raised $23 million over the next seven years.