The Western Australian Government’s plans to scrap concessions on council fleet registrations could lead to increased registration costs for fleet managers already operating in an environment of reduced funding and increased budget pressures.

The WA Department of Transport will reduce concessions from July 2017 and could cost councils tens of thousands of dollars. While the concession is being removed from council fleets, emergency vehicles such as ambulances and some fire vehicles will retain the benefit.

The additional costs are considered by some to be of particular concern to small regional councils. According to the ABC, 'A growing chorus of voices in regional Western Australia is calling for the scrapping of a plan to stop providing discounted registration costs for council fleet vehicles – a policy described as a "big tax on the bush'".

With talk of rate capping flowing across to the west and increased registration charges, balancing the budget for 2017/18 just got tougher.