The Minister for Local Government has determined that NSW councils may increase their general income by not more than 3.2% above the general income for the 2007/2008 financial year.
Byron Shire Council has been approved a Special Variation enabling Council to increase its general income from Rates for 2008/2009 by an additional 6.22% to finance improvements to infrastructure and community services.
This will generate additional revenue of approx. $851,800
All rateable land is subject to an ordinary rate. The land value of your property determines the amount of ordinary rates levied. The land value is supplied to Council by The Lands Department – Valuer General’s Office.
The amount of rates levied is also determined by the categorisation of the property.
The present rating structure is comprised of:
Residential Category
Business Category: - of which there are two sub-categories being:-
Farmland Category
The rating category or subcategory is shown on your Rate Notice. If you don’t agree with the category we have given your land, you or your agent can ask for a review.
A request for a review must be in writing on an "Application for Change in Category of Land to Farmland for Rating Purposes" form which is available from Council’s Customer Services Section, or you can phone Council’s Rates Section on 6626 7016 and ask for the form to be posted, or faxed to you.
Of course, if the category of your property is different to that shown on the Rate Notice, it is your obligation to notify Council of the correct category.
If you are dissatisfied with Council’s declaration of the category of your land after it has been reviewed, or the date the category of your land is to take effect: you may appeal to the Land and Environment Court within 30 days after the declaration is made, under Section 526 of the Local Government Act, 1993.
You can estimate the amount of Ordinary Rates by using this rates calculator.
Council will charge an annual Domestic Waste charge for all customers provided with a domestic waste collection service. Where an urban domestic waste service is available but not used by a customer, that customer will be charged a single standard domestic waste service applicable for that type of property.
Where a rural domestic waste service is available but not used by a customer, that customer will be charged a single ‘Rural Service Availability Charge’.
Council will charge an annual Non Domestic Waste charge for all customers provided with a waste collection service not of a domestic nature.
Additionally charges for both domestic waste and non-domestic waste are levied for each individual service in excess of a single service.
If the property is vacant land you are charged an annual vacant charge until a service is commenced.
Types of Waste Services available
Urban Domestic Areas
Urban Commercial and Industrial Areas
Multi Unit Dwellings (Urban areas where sharing is applicable)
Rural Areas (For Residential & Non-Residential properties where service is available)
All Residential properties which are within 75 metres of a sewer main and are able to be connected (whether connected or not) will be charged a Sewerage Fixed Charge of $576.00 in 2008/2009. This charge is separate to the sewer usage charges levied on your water and sewer usage notice.
Annual Sewerage Fixed charges for non-residential and multiple occupancy residential properties are calculated using average daily water usage and sewer discharge factors.
This charge is separate to the sewer usage charge levied on your water and sewer usage notice.
Water fixed charges apply to all properties to which the service is available, regardless of whether the water is connected to the property or not.
The charge is determined by the size of the water connection to the property, or if no meter is connected the charge will default to the standard charge for a 20mm connection.
This charge is separate to the water usage charge levied on your water and sewer usage notice.
A Liquid Trade Waste annual fixed charge is levied against non-residential properties connected to Council’s sewerage system which are generating medium to high level risk liquid trade waste that is required to be treated via a liquid trade waste pre-treatment device (such as a grease trap).
The purpose of this charge is to cover the costs incurred by Council for the administration and management (including inspections) of these systems.
A charge will be levied on all rateable properties within Council’s urban stormwater catchment area.
Residential properties will be levied a flat charge of $25.00 and Residential strata title properties will be levied a flat charge of $12.50.
A charge will be levied against each eligible business property (not strata titled) within the urban stormwater catchment area based on the total area of the assessment.
A charge of $25.00, plus an additional $25.00 for each 350 sq metres or part thereof by which the area of the parcel of land exceeds 350 sq metres will apply.
A strata complex comprising both business and residential units will be levied a flat charge of $12.50 per unit.
A strata complex comprising of business units will be levied a charge equal to the charge on the total land area of the strata scheme as calculated if it were single title, divided by the number of strata units in the scheme. A minimum charge of $12.50 and a maximum charge of $50.00 will apply to each unit.
Any additional information you may require regarding Rates and Charges can be obtained by contacting Council’s Rates Section on 6626 7000.