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Rates hikes and falls

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Boundaries to change for first time in quarter of a century

David Lee, Narrandera Argus

Number of Narrandera Shire Council residential and business ratepayers are set to get a rate rise, while others will see their rates fall for the 2023-24 rate levy, in a move by the council that it hopes will make rate distribution fairer through changing the Narrandera Residential and Business rate sub-category boundaries.

The current boundaries were introduced about 25 years ago following the update of the Local Government Act in 1993, with minimal change since its inception.

The new move will aim to see the council now look at determining the extent of the Narrandera Residential and Business subcategories and provide a commencement date for the implementation of the boundary’s extension.

Deputy General Manager Corporate and Community, Martin Hiscox said, “The modelling is a redistribution of the existing levy. The amount of rate revenue that we took from the residential assessments stays the same, just redistributed, likewise with the business assessments.

“When there is a general evaluation, it doesn’t mean council is going to get any more revenue, it’s a distribution of how the levy is spread.

“(When looking at this), we need to discuss residential and business in each environment.

“In terms of residential, when you look at the base rate of 40 per cent, nobody will have an increase of over $500.

“Having a base rate helps to bring more of the levy into the middle of the valuation scale. 83 per cent of assessments are in the band of a decrease of up to $50.

“Then on to the business spread. It’s a little more problematic as the data set is much smaller and the valuation is much lower as well, so any change is magnified.

“The base rate has really large impacts on both ends, some have large decreases and some large increases,” Mr Hiscox said.

Cr Tracey Lewis said, “I think this is going to be a long and a hard process, but I think a lot of the outer areas get the same services as the township gets. If we are getting the same services across the board the rates need to be the same across the board. If we want our community to grow in any way we need to put our bit in.”

Deputy Mayor, Cr Cameron Lander said, “I agree with Cr Lewis.

“What has been put forward is one of the fairest ways to do it and we should proceed with it.”

Cr Sue Ruffles said, “I think that admirable works have been done by the team to lessen the burden in the increases along the way.

“(This re-categorisation) hasn’t been done in 25 years, and this is an opportunity for planning for the future as all these places in town start to grow.”

Council plans to advise ratepayers of the expansion of the Narrandera Residential and Business subcategory areas and their rate change.

Narrandera Argus 22 September 022

This article appeared in the Narrandera Argus, 22 September 2022.

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