Rates Frequently Asked Questions

Rates are a property-based tax, not a direct user charge for services received. Councils have a responsibility to provide access to services and infrastructure for the public benefit of all. The choice not to use Council services or infrastructure does not remove the obligation on  property owners to pay their share of rates.

Rates and charges assist in providing a range of services, including road construction and maintenance, recreation and community facilities, libraries, swimming pools, parks and gardens, children and family services, waste management services, town planning, community safety services, environmental health, economic development and tourism, communications and customer services.

Rates and charges are determined through the Annual Budget.

Your rates and charges generally consist of the following items:

1. A General Rate,  which is calculated by multiplying the Capital Improved Value (CIV) of your property by the rate in the dollar for that property’s rating classification;
   
   
2. A Municipal Charge;
   
   
3. An Environmental Levy;
   
   
4. A kerbside garbage collection service per service;
   
   
5. A kerbside recycling collection service per service;
   
   
6. A kerbside organics collection service per service;
   
   
7. Fire Services Property Levy – Fixed Charge; and
   
   
8. Fire Services Property Levy – Variable Charge.

The municipal charge is a fixed charge incurred by all rateable properties regardless of value or property type. The municipal charge for the 2021/2022 financial year is $360.50

The environment levy is used to meet the significant and growing costs of providing a range of waste management services including maintenance of our landfill and transfer stations (this levy is separate to the garbage, recycling and organic waste services). This is a fixed charge which all rateable properties incur regardless of the value of the property.  The environmental levy for the 2021/2022 financial year is $121.80

• Capital Improved Value (CIV) – is the total market value of the land and all buildings and other improvements.
• Site Value (SV) – the market value of the land only.
• Net Annual Value (NAV) –  is the current value of a property’s net annual rent (by law, net annual value must be at least 5% of the Capital Improved Value for commercial property and exactly 5% of Capital Improved Value for residential property).  

Garbage, recycling and organic waste charges apply to all properties with a dwelling along a collection route, whether permanently occupied or not, and regardless of whether the service is required or utilised.

2021/2022 Waste Charges

Garbage service             $248.00
Recycling service           $128.20
Organic waste service   $104.50

For further information please see Councils Kerbside Waste,Recycling and Organic Collection Policy(PDF, 46KB)

If you hold a current pension concession card or an eligible Veteran Affairs card, you maybe eligible to receive a rebate on your rates on your principal place of residence. The concession amount for the 2021/2022 financial year is $247.00.  The pension concession is set by the State Government and eligible card holders will also receive a $50 concession off the Fire Services Property Levy fixed charge for their principal place of residence.

You will need to complete a municipal rates concession application form(PDF, 118KB)  and submit to Council. 

The pension concession does not apply to Health Care Card holders

Once registered that’s it! You will  receive notices in your email inbox, and can login to view them via the eNotice portal at any time. 

Any changes to your contact or personal details must be made in writing. This can be done by email or you can complete Councils online form.

Council offers the following options to pay your rates:

Lump Sum:

You can pay the full amount on or before 15 February 2022

Quarterly (4) Instalments: 

• 30 September 2021
• 30 November 2021
• 28 February 2022
• 31 May 2022

Direct Debit Options

Quarterly (4) Instalments:

Dates are as above

Ten Monthly Instalments:

The 10 monthly instalments commence on the 28th August each year, and are deducted on the 28th of each month until 28th May.

Weekly and Fortnightly Instalments:

These will commence Thursday 26th  August.

The Direct Debit Authority is an ongoing arrangement. 
You will not need to complete a new application each year unless you wish to change your account details.

You can terminate your direct debit authority at any time by advising Council in writing not less than 7 days before the next scheduled deduction. 

Please complete a direct debit application(PDF, 165KB)  if you would like to take up one of these options

Yes, you can pay your rates online via  eServices. 

All unpaid rates will incur penalty interest rate of 10 per cent per annum. The interest charged on overdue rates and charges applies to both the annual and instalment payment methods and is determined by the Attorney General under the Penalty Interest Rates Act 1983.

The Fire Services Property Levy is collected on your property Valuation and Rate notice on behalf of the State Government and consists of two items:

1. FSPL Fixed Charge of $114 for residential and $233 for non-residential properties; and
2. FSPL Variable Levy, which is calculated by multiplying the CIV of your property by the variable levy rate applicable to that property’s land use classification.

For more information visit the State Revenue Services Office website

When multiple assessments of farm land are used to operate a single farming enterprise, you may only need to pay the Fire Services Property Levy fixed charge, municipal charge & environmental levy once by applying for the Single Farm Enterprise Exemption.

New applications must be received by 31 March for processing in that financial year.

To apply for the single farm enterprise exemption please complete the Single Farm Enterprise Exemption(PDF, 650KB)  application form.

The Valuer General of Victoria (VGV) is the Victorian Governments authority on statutory valuations.  

Council has no jurisdiction over valuing residential properties for rates purposes.

The Local Government Act 2020 and the Valuation of Land Act 1960 require all properties in Victoria to be revalued each year. The valuation on your rates notice for the 2021/2021 financial year is based on the value of the property as at 1 January 2021. 

Valuations are undertaken by qualified valuers independent of Council contracted by the Valuer General Victoria.

The independent valuers adhere to the highest standards of professionalism and ethics. All valuers must declare their impartiality before undertaking valuations.

There are a number of reasons as to why your property valuation has changed. These may include the following:

• improvements to your property
• higher sales figures in the area which increases the value of your property 
• consolidation of land and increased dwellings affect property values
• improvements to the area such as local developments

If you do not agree with the valuation of your property as listed on your rate notice you can lodge an objection with the Valuer General Victoria.

Objections must be lodged within two months of the date of issue on your rates notice.

Objections to Council rate notices must use the prescribed objection form or can be lodged online through the online objections portal. You will require a copy of your rates notice to be able to object online.

If you have lodged an objection you must continue paying your rates and charges until your objection is resolved as per the payment dates listed on your rates notice.  This will ensure interest is not charged.

Queries about valuations and objections can be discussed with Council by phoning our Revenue team on 5871 9222. 

How does rate capping work? from MAV on Vimeo.

 Rate-Capping-Explained-May-2019.pdf(PDF, 3MB)

In 2015, The Fair Go Rates system to cap rates was introduced to limit the amount of revenue increases a council can levy through rates.

Each year the Minister for Local Government sets a cap on rate increases based on that period’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) and advice from the Essential Services Commission (ESC). 
 
For the 2021-2022 financial year, council rate rises have been capped at 1.50%. 

The 1.50% rates increase does not apply to the rates for an individual property but is applied to the total amount of general rates that Council will collect. The total rates amount is divided by the total value of property within the Shire to give a rate in the dollar. The rate is then multiplied by the Capital Improved Value (CIV) of your property to calculate your general rates charge.

The overall rates revenue collected by council cannot exceed the rate cap. However, the amount each property owner pays is calculated based on the value of their property. Some rate payers will pay less than the rate cap, others will pay more. However, the overall rates collected by Council will not exceed the rate cap unless they are granted an exemption.

The Australian Valuation Property Clarification Code (AVPCC) is a property classification code. It is assigned to your property by the valuers in accordance with the Fire Service Property Levy Act 2012, and is now noted on your rates notice.

The AVPCC has no effect on the valuation of your property, it is used to identify the property’s classification (residential / commercial etc.) which is then used to calculate the correct Fire Service Property Levy that you contribute in accordance to the Fire Services Property Levy Act 2012.

Legislation requires this code to be printed on your rates notice.

For more information please consult the AVPCC codes and descriptions(PDF, 690KB)(PDF, 690KB)