Community feedback wanted on Draft Rating Strategy 2017

For the first time preliminary community consultation will take place prior to a Draft Rating Strategy being considered on May 2, 2017. This decision was agreed on by Ararat Rural City Council at Tuesday night’s Special Council Meeting.

Council is now inviting all community members to provide feedback, which can be done online via the ‘Have Your Say’ section or by mailing Draft Rating Strategy feedback to PO 246, Ararat 3377.

Council began reviewing the Draft Rating Strategy 2017 last December and together with Council Officers have developed two options to present to the community.

Option one retains the current differential rates, while option two contains a significant change in the differential rates.

A rates calculator is also available via this link, where ratepayers can compare costs of both options.

Ararat Rural City Council CEO, Andrew Evans said the community now has the chance to view the two different options and have their say before a decision is made.

“Councillors genuinely want to find out what option suits our various ratepayers before deciding which path to take,” he said.

“There has been a broad concern for some time that there has been inequality across the property sectors and the newly elected councillors have been working hard to address that.

“Everyone seems to have an opinion on rates in the Ararat Rural City, well now is the time to put forward those views during this preliminary consultation period. Make the most of this opportunity to engage with Council on these two options by providing feedback.”

Details of the two differential rating options can be viewed in more detail by clicking here, in newspaper advertisements over the next week or by calling Council’s Rate Department on 5355 0200.