Rates & Charges

Rates 

Rates and Charges are levied on all rateable properties. Rates funds are used to maintain, improve and provide services and facilities for the ratepayers, residents and visitors to Berrigan Shire Council.

Levying of Annual Rates  

Each year, Council places on exhibition a Draft Management Plan in May. The Revenue Policy discloses details of all rates and charges proposed for the coming financial year. Any member of the public may review and make comment on the Draft Management Plan.

Rate pegging is the percentage limit by which each Council in NSW may increase its total income received from rates. The limit is set by the Minister on an annual basis and is for the total income received not a percentage per individual property.

Rating Categories

Before levying ordinary rates on a property, Section 514 of the Local Government Act, 1993 requires Council to categorise each parcel of rateable land to be within one of the following allowable categories: Farmland, Residential, Mining or Business. The property's category is based on the primary usage of the land.

Rates and Charges

The following charges may be levied against your property depending on where the property is located.

Sewerage Supply Charge

Water Access Charge

Stormwater Management Service

Domestic Waste Charge

Land Valuations in NSW

The NSW Valuer General values land in New South Wales on behalf of the State Government. These valuations are used by local councils and the NSW State Government to levy rates and taxes.

If you have concerns regarding your valuation, the Department of Lands provides an information service on the toll fee number found on your Notice of Valuation. View the Department of Lands web site in NSW to find out all you need to know about the valuation of land by the Valuer General in NSW.

Payment of Rates

Every property is issued a rate notice for each financial year by the end of July.  The due dates for payment are set under the Local Government Act 1993, and are as follows:-

Payment Options currently offered

Payments may be made by the following options:

• Paid directly to the Shire Office, Berrigan.
• At any branch of the National Australia Bank (with the deposit slip from your Rate Notice/Instalment Notice/Water Consumption Notice)
• B-Pay from a savings, cheque or credit card account (contact your bank for further information).
• The internet via Council’s website (secured site)

Pensioner Concession

Section 575 of the Local Government Act, 1993 allows pensioner concession cardholders to claim rebates on their general rates, domestic waste, water and sewerage charges.

Eligibility Requirements

1.    You must own the dwelling for which a concession is sought and it must be occupied as your sole or principal place of residence.

2.    You will be required to produce your pensioner concession card as proof of entitlement prior to gaining a pension rebate

3.    Persons, who become eligible pensioners or cease to be eligible pensioners during the year, will be granted a concession proportionate to the number of full quarters in which they were eligible.

4.    Where eligible pensioners share ownership with non-eligible pensioners, the amount of concession will also be determined on the proportionate equity in the property.

Applying for a Rebate

Contact Council’s Rates Department requesting a Pension Rebate Application form or simply call into the Council Office, 56 Chanter Street, Berrigan NSW 2712 with your current Centrelink or Department of Veteran Affairs card.

Overdue Rates and Charges

Interest on overdue rates and charges is calculated on a daily basis and is only charged against the amount overdue in accordance with Section 566 of the Local Government Act, 1993. The current interest rate which is set by the Minister is 9.00 % per annum.

Ratepayers are encouraged to make frequent payments using our current payment options if they are trying to budget household debts.

Change of Ownership

When your property is sold, your solicitor or conveyance will lodge a notice of sale with the Department of Lands. Upon registration, the Department will notify Council of the change of ownership. Until this notice is received, Council cannot change the ownership of your property. As there can be delays experienced with the registration of titles with the Department, you are asked to contact Council to discuss rating details.

If you are not selling but moving out of your property, you must lodge a change of address form in writing, via either facsimile, post or hand delivered.

Sale of land for unpaid Rates and Charges

Councils have the power under section 713 of the Local Government act to sell any land on which rates are not paid. They usually cannot do this until the rates are five years overdue. If the land is vacant, it can be sold after one year in certain circumstances. However, make sure you contact the Council before it gets to this stage. There may be ways to solve the problem that will satisfy both you and the council.

Water Consumption

Council issues quarterly consumption notices, the timing for these notices varies around the four towns within the Council.

The townships of Barooga, Berrigan and Finley are on a dual supply for water and the rates are as follows;

Filtered $1.00 per Kilolitre

Unfiltered $0.50 per Kilolitre

The township of Tocumwal is on a single supply at a rate of $0.67 per Kilolitre.

1 Kilolitre of water equals 1,000 litres.