Rates notices to be issued next week

Central Highlands Regional Council’s half-yearly general rates and charges notices will be posted out to the region’s ratepayers next week.

The notices are for the period from January to June this year and do not include water supply service charges.

As of this financial year, general rates are charged independently of the half-yearly water access and consumption charges, the next of which will be issued in April.

Central Highlands’ Mayor Kerry Hayes said charging general and water rates separately broke payments into smaller portions across the year, therefore alleviating cash flow pressures faced by some ratepayers.

‘The separate charging mechanism also improves the transparency of how various rates and charges are applied to fund council services,’ the mayor said.

Council’s general services are funded via general rates and charges, whereas the costs of delivering a water supply service are met by water access and consumption charges.

Next week’s half-yearly general rates notices are the second to be issued in this format, following the initial round sent out in August last year.

Under the new format, ratepayers receive two general rates and charges notices (February and August) and two water access and consumption charges notices (October and April) each year.

Rural ratepayers and most mining claims will still receive only two notices each year as they do not access the township water supply.

Ratepayers who pay their rates in full, including arrears, within 30 days of the issue date will receive a ten percent discount.

There are now different payment details depending on whether payments are being made for general rates or water charges.

It is important that ratepayers ensure they are using the correct details, which are included on rates notices, when making a payment.

For more information about payment options visit the Payments and permits.