Rates notices on their way

The majority of Redland City residents will be in for a pleasant surprise when rates notices arrive in the mail from next week.

Redland City Mayor Karen Williams said Council’s 2013-14 Budget, adopted on 27 June, would result in only a modest rates increase across most rating categories.

“Redland City Council’s 2013-14 Budget included a headline rates increase of only 1.43 per cent – the lowest in South East Queensland, for the second year running” she said.

You may also like these stories

Future building Redlands Coast involves fiscal fairness across generations

31 May 2024

Council Budget workshops address economic challenges on Redlands Coast

29 May 2024

“For an average owner-occupied property valued at $282,000, using an average amount of water, this equates to a rates rise of just 1.1 per cent.

“Council has achieved this very modest rates and charges increase for average Redlanders despite absorbing millions of dollars in external costs imposed on Council by other levels of government, such as the Federal Government’s carbon tax and State Government approved electricity price hikes (up 22%) and bulk water charges (up 16.7%).

“Without these external factors, we could have seen a rates freeze – or even better – for many Redland City residents.

Cr Williams said the 2013-14 Budget had also included rate reform, reducing the number of rating categories from 45 to 22.

“This will mean some residents may see a change to the rating category on their rate notice,” she said.

“While this will be a positive change for the majority of residents, there will also be a small number of residents who will see an increase in their rates as a result of the changes.

“The changes to rating categories will reinstate separate canal levies for residents at Raby Bay, Sovereign Waters and Aquatic Paradise, splitting this cost from their general rate to ensure transparency.

“The residents who live in these areas told us they wanted separate canal levies. We have delivered, providing greater transparency in how the funds are raised and how they are spent on the canals and the lake.”

Cr Williams said there were a range of options to assist people to pay rates and manage their budgets.

“This includes direct debit, which carries no additional fees, providing a simple, safe and effective way to avoid unnecessary penalties,” she said.

“Payment frequencies can be tailored to suit individual circumstances – in full, weekly, fortnightly, monthly – and payments can be made in advance.”

Other payment options include BPAY, Interactive voice recognition (IVR) and online through the MyServices portal.

Rate notices are issued quarterly, in July, October, January and April. There is an 11 per cent interest charge – set by State legislation – on overdue rates, calculated daily.

Below are examples of rate notices for the average Redlands rating categories.

Below represents an average residential owner occupied home using an average 200kl of water per annum, which will see a 1.1% increase in general rates on average.

Below represents an average residential owner occupied Southern Moreton Bay Island property, which will see a 0.9% increase in general rates on average.

Below represents an average mainland commercial property, which will see a 0.7% increase in general rates on average.

Below represents an average Raby Bay residential owner occupied property, which will see a 3.6% increase in general rates on average.