Message from the Mayor
I wish to clarify Council's proposed changes to the Rating and Revenue Plan, address some confusion that has emerged and reassure our community that these changes are designed to support greater equity and fairness for all ratepayers in Cardinia Shire.
As part of a Council Plan initiative, Council is reviewing its differential rating strategy, which determines how rates are shared across different property types.
Each year, the rate in the dollar (RID) is calculated for each differential category as a percentage of the base rate. There has been commentary suggesting that Council is proposing to reduce the rate for properties within the growth corridor or 'urban residential rate' by 3%. This is incorrect.
Under the proposed amendments, the urban residential differential rate would remain unchanged at 107%, and the non-urban base rate would also remain unchanged at 100%. If the plan is adopted, rates for properties in these categories would continue to be calculated in exactly the same way as they are now. At its April meeting Council agreed to retain the urban residential rate at 107% in the amended plan, rather than accept any proposed increase.
Commercial and industrial rates were previously calculated at the same rate. The review proposes that they be classified into separate rating categories for both urban and non-urban areas, resulting in four categories to provide clearer distinction between the different land types and uses. We're also proposing to classify vacant residential land into both urban and non-urban categories. This will create clearer distinctions and improve equity between property categories, based on their level of impact on Council's services. Cardinia Shire boasts diverse landscapes and land uses and it is important that each ratepayer contributes a fair share based on their property type and value, without increasing the total amount of rates collected by Council.
Additional context for readers is that there is also a proposed reduction in the farm rate from 75% to 65%, providing targeted support for genuine farming properties. Cardinia Shire is a major food producing region and we play a significant role in Victoria's and Australia's food security. Preserving and supporting productive agricultural land remains a key priority for Council.
The proposed changes to the Revenue and Rating Plan have been guided by recommendations and feedback from an independently appointed panel of ratepayers representing different property categories. Panel members generously contributed their time and perspectives, and I would like to thank them for their insights in helping prepare a balanced and updated approach to differential rating for Cardinia Shire.
The Rating and Revenue Plan is currently on public exhibition via www.cardinia.vic.gov.au/haveyoursay and we encourage all community members to review the proposed changes and provide feedback as part of the process.
