Rates notices for the Armidale Dumaresq Council are being sent out this week.
“General rates will go up by the 2.8 per cent rate pegging percentage announced by the NSW State Government,” stated Shane Burns, Council’s General Manager.
“There will be no increase in sewer access charges and movements in water charges, in line with the strategy adopted by Council two years ago.
“Of the standard charges levied by Council, the water access charges will reduce by $5. The domestic waste charges are to increase by $14, and the landfill charge is to increase by $30 to cover expected expenditure for the proposed new landfill and alternate waste processes.”
On average, residential ratepayers will experience an increase of $54 over last year’s rates notice level. However, pensioners will on average experience a $25 reduction due to the provision of increased pensioner rebates by Council this year.
Mr Burns said Council had to apply new valuations to this year’s Council Rates. Therefore, some ratepayers may experience greater increases in general rates as compared to the 2.8 per cent rate pegging increase.
“In the past, where property sales have been greater in a specific part of the local government area, some ratepayers have experienced higher rates. Yet others have actually experienced decreases,” Mr Burns said.
“This has been reflective of land value movements and the subsequent redistribution of rate charging.”
