Published on Thursday, 13 March 2025 at 9:07:00 AM
The Shire is currently consulting with some landowners regarding a proposed transition from Unimproved Value (UV) to Gross Rental Value (GRV) for certain rural residential properties. This process is in line with the requirements set by the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries, which advises local governments to periodically review rating classifications to ensure consistency and fairness across property types. The Local Government Act 1995 prescribes the valuation method for land, in that, where the land is used predominantly for rural purposes, the valuation method is the Unimproved Value of the land. Where the land is not used predominantly for rural purposes, the valuation method is the Gross Rental Value of the land.
The primary aim of the transition is to ensure that properties are rated in a manner that reflects their predominant land use, with many local governments across Western Australia already having undertaken similar reviews.
The impact of a change from UV to GRV will vary depending on each property's valuation, as determined by the Valuer General’s Office. While some landowners may experience an increase in rates, others may see little to no change, while others may have a decrease. There will be no impact on the total Shire rates from this process, but instead, a redistribution of the amount of rates payable across the GRV rated properties in accordance with the property valuation.
The Shire has not yet determined a recommendation to the Minister for Local Government, as community consultation and further analysis will inform any final decision. In addition, while this transition may impact the valuation type, it does not allocate the rate in the dollar for each rating category. This is determined through the annual budget process, and will ultimately define the rates payable.
The Shire is actively engaging with affected landowners to ensure transparency and provide opportunities for feedback.
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