Payments

Rates are a tax levied by council. Their purpose is to support the council in providing services for the benefit of all residents. Rates help pay for:

• waste and recycling collection & disposal
• animal control
• community safety initiatives
• street lighting and cleaning
• local roads, footpaths and drainage
• stormwater disposal services
• operation of halls and civic centre
• maintenance of parks, playgrounds and sportsgrounds
• youth, family and senior services
• community events
• State Government charges for a range of services including fire service
• other works, programs and facilities.

Rates are normally made up of a general rate and a service rate and/or charge. Under certain circumstances, a council may levy a construction rate or charge, or a separate rate.

The rights and responsibilities of ratepayers and councils are set out in Part 9 of the Local Government Act 1993.

GENERAL RATES

A general rate is to be based on one of the following categories of values of land: Land Value, Capital Value or Assessed Annual Value (AAV) of the land. A Council may set a minimum amount payable.

A council may make a general rate whether or not it provides any services to the land upon which the rating is made.

SERVICE RATE OR CHARGE

A council may make a service rate for any, all, or a combination of the following services:

• waste management
• stormwater removal
• fire protection
• any other prescribed service.

The service rate for a financial year is to be based on the same category of value of land as the general rate. Councils may set a minimum amount payable for a service rate if it does not include a fixed charge.

Councils may levy a service charge in addition to, or instead of, making a service rate.

A service charge is a fixed charge payable on each property.

CONSTRUCTION RATE AND CHARGE

A construction rate and charge may be set by councils in order to provide the infrastructure currently lacking for stormwater services to land that is more than 30 meters, at the nearest boundary, from the public stormwater system.

SEPARATE RATES

A council may make a separate rate or charge in respect of any land or class of land within its municipal area. This may occur where, in Council's opinion, there is a need to plan, carry out, make available, maintain or improve anything on behalf of the affected land, or owners or occupiers of that land.

If a council decides to make a separate rate or charge it must undertake a consultation process with the ratepayers likely to be affected by the making of the rate charge.

A separate rate may only be made for a five year period before it is subject to a review process and further consultation with affected ratepayers.

Generally, owners of land have to pay rates. Occupiers of land may pay the rates in exceptional circumstances. They may do so with the written consent of the owners. If someone other than the owner is paying the rates then the council has to be notified accordingly.

Rates are paid periodically by a due date or dates set by each council. A rates notice is posted to ratepayers, allowing approximately 60 days before payment of the entire amount is due, or, if payment is by instalments, at least 30 days before the first payment is due.

Rates and Charges paid in full by 31 August each year will receive a discount.

Ratepayers may apply to the Council to pay Rates and Charges by instalments, subject to approved terms and conditions.

A council may allow rates to be paid by instalments instead of in one payment. You should check with council what arrangements are possible and the dates by which instalments are to be paid. These will be notified in an instalment plan issued to the ratepayer.

If a ratepayer fails to pay any instalment within 21 days of the date on which the rates are due, the council may require the ratepayer to pay the full amount owing.

Methods of payment are usually outlined on the back of your rates notice and include payment:

• in person at council offices at 19 King Edward Street , Ulverstone (Monday - Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm) or 78 Main Road, Penguin (Monday - Friday, 9.30am to 12pm - 12.30pm to 3pm)
• by BPAY (Biller Code 727495, plus an individual Assessment ID is necessary)
• by BPAY VIEW (Biller Code 727495, plus an individual Assessment ID is necessary)
• Centrepay - use Centrepay to make regular deductions from your Centrelink payment. Centrepay is a voluntary and easy payment option available to Centrelink customers.
  Go to servicesaustralia.gov.au/centrepay for more information on how to set up your Centrepay deductions.
  (Centrepay reference number 555 075 536C. Please ensure that the individual Assessment ID is correct.)
• by direct debit. Application forms are available by clicking here, at the Council offices or by phoning (03) 6429 8900
• by phoning 1300 886 451 any time with your credit card and property details
• online any time by clicking the link above, ensuring you have your credit card details and individual Assessment ID handy.

An assessed annual valuation is an assessment of the market valuation of a property, at a specific date and in accordance with legislation. The Valuer-General determines the AAV under the Valuation of Land Act 2001.

It is the gross annual income that, at the time of valuation, the owner of the property might reasonably expect to obtain from letting it to a tenant. The assessed annual value of the land cannot be less than 4% of the capital value of the land.

It is the expected sum of money that might be realised if the land and any existing dwelling or improvements were offered for sale at a particular time. For instance, on a rates notice, it may show land value as $40,000 and capital value as $125,000. The capital value includes the land value plus the value of any buildings on the site.

If you wish to check your rates balance, please contact the Council;

• by phone on (03) 6429 8900
• by email at admin@centralcoast.tas.gov.au
• in person at the Council offices at 19 King Edward Street, Ulverstone or 78 Main Road, Penguin
• by mail to Central Coast Council, PO Box 220, Ulverstone 7315.

A discount is offered to all ratepayers for payment of Rates and Charges in total on or before the 31st day of August.

It is important to note that the Council will determine the level of the early payment discount when it adopts its budget each year.

To be entitled to apply, the Local Government (Rates and Charges Remissions) Act 1991 requires that a ratepayer must be an eligible pensioner and must occupy the property as his or her principal dwelling on or prior to 1 July of the rating year.

To be an eligible pensioner you must have:

• a Centrelink Pensioner Concession Card OR
• a Department of Veteran's Affairs Repatriation Health "Gold Card" which bears the inscription "War Widow " or "TPI" OR
• an Australian Government Health Care Card. (Possession of an Australian Government Seniors Health Card does not qualify the holder for a rates remission).

Applications for rates remissions must be received by the council by 31 March of any year in which the rates are calculated.

A ratepayer who is having difficulty in paying rates should contact the Council at the earliest opportunity to arrange a payment schedule that is agreeable both to the Council and the ratepayer. This is essential to avoid the Council taking legal action to recover the outstanding rates.

A ratepayer may also apply to the Council to defer the payment of rates on the grounds of hardship. An application has to be in writing and must be lodged with the Council's General Manager.

A council may grant or refuse a deferral application. Any granted deferral may be subject to a condition that the ratepayer pay interest on the amount due.

If a ratepayer does not pay the rates on his or her property a council may commence legal action against the ratepayer to recover the outstanding amount. If a council takes such legal action the ratepayer may also be liable for the council's legal costs associated with the action.

If rates are not paid for a period exceeding three years, the Council may sell a property or part of a property to recover the unpaid rates. The Council can sell it by public auction or by direct sale.

If the owner of a property cannot be found, the Council may apply to have that property transferred to the Council.

That the Council approves the Annual Plan and Budget Estimates 2024-25, including the making of rates, service rates and charges, fees and charges and loan borrowings as follows:

1          Adoption of Annual Plan

1.1           In accordance with Section 71 of the Local Government Act 1993 (as amended), Council adopts the Annual Plan for 2024-25 and instructs the CEO to:

1.1.1    make a copy of the Annual Plan available for public inspection at the Council offices; and

1.1.2    provide a copy of it to the Director of Local Government and to the Director of Public Health.

2          Adoption of Annual Estimates

2.1       In accordance with Section 82 of the Local Government Act 1993 (as amended), the Council, by absolute majority, adopts the estimates of revenue and expenditure (including estimated capital works) as detailed in the Annual Plan and Budget Estimates 2024-25.

3          Rates Resolution

3.1       In accordance with the provisions of the Local Government Act 1993 (the Act) (as amended) and the Fire Services Act 1979, the Council makes the following Rates and Charges for land within the Council’s municipal area for the period 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025.

3.1.1    Definitions used in this Resolution

(a)        ‘tenement’ being rateable land for which a waste management service is supplied or is made available, includes: each separate residential use on that rateable land including each lot or block of land, each house, moveable dwelling unit, flat, home unit or self-contained holiday apartment or holiday unit located on the rateable land.

3.2       General Rate

3.2.1    A General Rate of 7.536 cents in the dollar based on the assessed annual value and is payable on all rateable land within the Central Coast municipal area but shall only be payable in so far as the sum payable under such rate exceeds a minimum amount of $355.00; otherwise payable in respect of that rate.

3.2.2    In accordance with Section 107(1) of the Act, by reason of the use or predominant use of any land, or the non-use of any land, the Council declares by absolute majority that the General Rate shall be varied as follows:

(a)        for all land used for commercial and industrial purposes the General Rate is varied by increasing it to 8.789 cents-in-the-dollar on the assessed annual value but shall only be payable in so far as the sum payable under such rate exceeds a minimum amount of $355.00 otherwise payable in respect of that rate;

(b)        for all land used for primary production purposes, the General Rate is varied by decreasing it to 4.702 cents in the dollar on the assessed annual value but shall only be payable in so far as the sum payable under such rate exceeds a minimum amount of $355.00 otherwise payable in respect of that rate.

(c)        for all land used for vacant residential purposes, the General Rate is varied by decreasing it to 5.722 cents in the dollar on the assessed annual value but shall only be payable in so far as the sum payable under such rate exceeds a minimum amount of $355.00 otherwise payable in respect of that rate.

3.3       Service Rates and Charges

3.3.1    Fire Protection Service Charges

(a)        A Fire Protection Service Rate of 0.3260 cents in the dollar based on the assessed annual value and is payable in respect of all rateable land within the Penguin Urban Fire District and the Ulverstone Urban Fire District but shall only be payable in so far as the sum payable under such rate exceeds a minimum amount of $49.00 otherwise payable in respect of that rate.

(b)        A Fire Protection Service Rate of 0.3260 cents-in-the-dollar based on the assessed annual value and is payable in respect of all rateable land within the Forth/Leith Country Fire Brigade District, the Heybridge Country Fire Brigade District and the Turners Beach Country Fire Brigade District but shall only be payable in so far as the sum payable under such rate exceeds a minimum amount of $49.00 otherwise payable in respect of that rate.

(c)        A Fire Protection Service Rate of 0.2800 cents in the dollar based on the assessed annual value and is payable in respect of all rateable land outside the Forth/Leith Country Fire Brigade District, the Heybridge Country Fire Brigade District, the Penguin Urban Fire District, the Ulverstone Urban Fire District and the Turners Beach Country Fire Brigade District, but shall only be payable in so far as the sum payable under such rate exceeds a minimum amount of $49.00 otherwise payable in respect of that rate.

3.3.2    Waste Management Service Charge

(a)        A Waste Management Service Charge of $300.00 for each tenement is payable in respect of all rateable land to which there is a supplying, or making available, of kerbside waste collections.

3.4       Payment Options

3.4.1    Due Dates

In accordance with the provisions of Section 124 of the Act, Council determines that all rates and charges are payable in four instalments (calculated to the nearest cent), the due date by which they are to be paid being:

1st Instalment - 31 August 2024

2nd Instalment – 30 November 2024

3rd Instalment – 28 February 2025

4th Instalment – 31 May 2025

3.4.2    Discount for Early Payment

In accordance with the provisions of Section 130 of the Act, the Council will provide a discount of 3.75% on the total current rates and charges specified in a rates notice, for payment of the total rates and charges (including all arrears) that are paid by 31 August 2024 but excluding the Fire Protection Service Charges.

3.4.3    Defaults and Interest Charges

(a)        In accordance with the provisions of Section 124(5) of the Act, if a ratepayer fails to pay any instalment within
21 days of the date on which the instalment is due, the ratepayer is to immediately pay the full amount of the unpaid rates and charges.

(b)        In accordance with the provisions of Section 128(2) of the Act, if any rates and charges or instalment of rates and charges are not paid on or before the date they fall due, then daily interest charged monthly, at the prescribed percentage, is payable from the date they fell due to the date of payment.

3.5       Supplementary Rates

3.5.1    In accordance with the provisions of Section 92 of the Act, Council delegates to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) the power to adjust a rate as a result of a supplementary valuation.

3.5.2    Where a supplementary valuation is made on any land effective prior to 30 June 2025, and an adjusted rate is made, the rate notice must be issued, with the amount shown as credited or payable on that notice due as to be paid within 30 days of the date on which the notice is issued.

3.6       Remissions

3.6.1    In accordance with Section 129(3) of the Act, and by absolute majority, the Council grants a remission of $35 to eligible pensioners.  Eligible pensioners must occupy the property as his or her principal dwelling on or prior to 1 July of the rating year.  An eligible pensioner will have a Centrelink Pensioner Concession card, a Department of Veteran’s Affairs Repatriation Health “Gold Card,” which bears the inscription “War Widow” or “TPI”, or an Australian Government Health Care Card.

4          Fees and Charges

4.1       In accordance with Section 205 of the Act, and other relevant Acts as detailed in the fees and charges schedule, the Council imposes the fees and charges within the Annual Plan and Budget Estimates 2024-25 financial year with increases being effective from 1 July 2024 and otherwise as stated in the schedule.

5          Loan Borrowings

5.1       Council authorises the CEO in absolute majority to negotiate a loan of up to $1.0 million in accordance with Section 78 of the Act.