By Alesha Capone
BRIMBANK residents will be hit with a four per cent rate rise this year.
The council made the announcement as part of its proposed budget for 2010/11, released for public comment last week.
Residents could pay an average of $21.88 per week more across the next 12 months, if they live in residential property valued at Brimbank’s average price of $308,000.
The sum amounts to more than $1137 over the financial year and will help raise more than $47 million for the council to spend on capital projects, such as roads, open space and community facilities.
“A number of properties will have a rate rise above four per cent, however this is due largely to the rise in property values,” the council’s draft budget said. The Council’s proposed budget focuses on upgrading sporting facilities and services improvements.
In a win for residents, the council has proposed to slash its municipal charge from $194.62 to $111.03. But the cost of going to the tip is going to increase substantially following the State Government’s decision to raise the landfill waste levy from $9 to $30.
Residents will also have to pay an environmental landfill levy of $13.50 for a 140-litre bin and $20 for a 240-litre bin.
Last year, rates in Brimbank were set at 6.5 per cent. The council supplied Star with a list of suburbs and the average rates each household could pay.
Every two years, the council is required to re-evaluate properties and incorporate this into how they calculate rates.
A 2.65 per cent rate per residential assessment will be included in the overall 4 per cent rate rise.
This year, based on increases in the residential median Capital Inprovement Value (CIV), residents in Keilor North will be paying the highest rates, at more than double the municipal average.
People in the area will have to find an extra $2534.90 across the financial year, after property values rose more than 56 per cent.
Residents in Keilor East will be paying the second highest rates at $1659.78, followed by Keilor on $1554,98, Taylors Lakes on $1337.22 and Cairnlea on $1323.61.
Rounding out the top 10 were Keilor Lodge with $1300.48, Keilor Park at $1241.95, Derrimut on $1192.96, Keilor Downs with $1156.68 and Sydenham at $1141.24.
Next came Hillside, with an average rate of $1124.91 and $1111.30 for Sunshine residents.
Other suburbs which will be paying an average rate higher than $1000 are Albion, Sunshine West and Kealba. People who reside in Brooklyn will have the lowest median rate increase.
The next-lowest rates in the municipality have been applied to Ardeer with $896.26, Albanvale at $926.20 and Deer Park at $956.14.
Cairnlea Residents Association member Jason Rooth said he was not surprised by the rate rises.
“All I can say is no-one’s going to be happy and everyone will have something to say,” he said.
Residents welcomed the councils’ commitment to keep fees and charges for community services low, after they also reduced the municipal charge by 43 per cent.
The draft budget is available for comment at www.brimbank.vic.gov.au until 15 June.
