Your rates help to provide almost 100 different services to the Macedon Ranges community.
The following charges will appear on your rates notice:
- Municipal Charge: this charge covers the cost of core local government functions, such as administering local laws and planning controls; and ensuring there is due and proper governance.
- Garbage and Recycling Collection Charge: only applies to properties that receive the service.
- Garden Bin Collection Charge: only applies to properties that receive the service.
- Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Landfill Levy: a levy on each garbage bin applies if you receive the service. Council is required to collect this levy on behalf of the Victorian Government for domestic garbage that is put into landfill facilities (tips). This levy is shown separately on your rates notice, as Council does not benefit from the money collected.
Each year, through its budget process, Council determines the amount of allowable revenue for the forthcoming financial year, taking into account the Victorian Government’s two per cent rate cap.
This year we will raise $48 million from rates and charges to continue to deliver quality services and maintain community facilities. This amount is then divided by the total value of all properties in the shire, which establishes what is called a ‘rate in the dollar’. The rate in the dollar is then multiplied by the value of your property to determine the amount of your rates.
Property values are reviewed every two years. Every property in the shire has been valued based on the amount it would have sold for in the open market in January 2018 and your property value is shown on your rate notice.
The following example shows a breakdown of this year’s rates and charges for a typical household compared to last year.
| |
2017/18 |
2018/19 |
| Average Property Value |
$525,128 |
$604,000 |
| General Rate in the Dollar |
$0.002965 |
$0.002643 |
| General Rates |
$1,557 |
$1,596 |
| Municipal Charge |
$212 |
$212 |
| Garbage and Recycling Charge |
$273 |
$317 |
| Garden Bin Charge |
$63 |
$68 |
| Total |
$2,105 |
$2,193 |
| Difference |
|
$88.37 |
| Percentage increase |
|
4.2% |
Note: this example illustrates standard Council rates and charges; it does not include other charges which Council collects on behalf of the Victorian Government.
There are three types of rates:
The Business Rate is set at 20 per cent more than the General Rate and the Agricultural Land Rate is 20 per cent less than the General Rate. Note: the Agricultural Land Rate is not applied automatically. For more information, see: Concessions and exemptions