What will happen to my feedback?

All feedback will be logged and considered by Council at an Ordinary Council Meeting following the close of the public consultation period.

When will a decision be made?

Following the close of the consultation period on 11 June 2021, Council will consider feedback received before making a final decision at a subsequent Special Council Meeting in June.

Yes, a 2% discount on the general rate amount will be applied for those who pay their rates and charges in full by 5pm Friday 10th September 2021.

The total General Rate Revenue increase proposed in the 2021-2022 Annual Budget is 4%. The average increase across all properties is approximately 3.59%. However, there will be some higher and some lower than this. For a home with a site land value of $160,000, the 4% increase in general rate revenue equates to approximately an $18 increase per quarter.

Your rates are made up of as follows:

• Rate in Dollar:  $0.008218 x site value of your property
• Fixed Charge:  $465.00
• Waste Collection:  $265.80 annual service charge
• Recycling Collection:  $53.80 annual service charge
• Regional Landscape Levy:  Determined by Land-use Type and collected by Council on behalf of the EP Landscape Board

If you choose to pay your rates quarterly, reminders will be sent out at least 30 days before each instalment due date of:

•                 10th September 2021
•                 3rd December 2021
•                 4th March 2022
•                 3rd June 2022

Rate notices will be issued mid-July 2021 for distribution shortly after.

If you find yourself in a difficult financial position and are unsure if you can make your rates payment when it falls due, we encourage you to contact Council’s rates department as soon as possible to advise us of your situation.

Individuals and businesses can apply to have their rates postponed and/or enter into an agreed payment plan if they meet the hardship criteria outlined in Council's Financial Hardship Policy 7.63.17.  This will be upon application and assessed on a case by case basis.

The Financial Hardship Application Form can be found under Related Documents on this page or by clicking here

Each year, Council’s operating costs increase for a variety of reasons including but not limited to CPI, Local Government Price Index (LGPI), population growth and other factors. These all have an impact on the operations of Council. Rate Revenue needs to increase accordingly to cover the operational increases, capital renewals & capital upgrades programs and other Council services. In 2021-2022, Council has included a significant number of New Operating Initiatives in its draft budget expenditure that have not previously been included, with many of these new operating initiatives involving the development of various strategies arising from Council’s new Strategic Directions Plan. The development of these strategies is the first step towards achieving the goals and actions outlined in Council’s Strategic Directions Plan 2021 – 2030 and these are all listed in detail in the Annual Business Plan and Budget 2021-2022 document

The proposed increase in the general rates revenue for 2021-2022 is not as a result of the Foreshore Redevelopment Project. The funding for the project is being sourced from a State Government Grant Funding contribution of 50% of the project costs and Council loan borrowings, at a discounted interest rate, for the remaining 50%. Therefore, the only financial impact of the Foreshore Redevelopment Project in the Draft 2021-2022 budget is the cost of the interest payment estimated at $15,000.