15 June, 2017

Council puts a freeze on rates for third consecutive year

The City of Adelaide has frozen the rate in the dollar for its residential and commercial ratepayers for the third consecutive year.

Lord Mayor Martin Haese says Council has taken this important step as part of ongoing efforts to ease the burden on property owners.

Revealing the City’s rating outcomes for 2017-18, the Lord Mayor confirmed that significant growth from new residential and business developments had also helped Council to minimise the impact of any rate increases.

“New developments will increase the City of Adelaide’s rateable property base by 2 per cent, an indication our city continues to grow.

The first full valuation of properties in the City of Adelaide since 2014-15, verified by the SA Valuer-General, has resulted in an increase to rate revenue of 1.5 per cent.”

The Lord Mayor said Council was determined to do everything it could to ease cost of living pressures on the community while continuing to deliver high quality services.

“Rates comprise nearly half our total revenue and are essential to fund the delivery of vital community services, maintain our roads, parks and other assets, as well as deliver new infrastructure.”

“However, we know many families and businesses are struggling with increased costs and we want to minimise the impact on our community wherever possible.”

The Lord Mayor said Council would continue to offer remissions to those ratepayers in our community who were least able to afford them.

“Pensioners and self-funded retirees who own their own homes will continue to be eligible to apply for a remission of rates of $100 and $50 respectively.”

In addition, Council recently agreed to introduce a scheme that would offer a five-year rate-free period for owner-occupiers who purchased ‘off the plan’ dwellings in the City of Adelaide.

Council administration is now developing the details and timeframe for this scheme, which will be announced in the near future.

“I am also working with the State Government to encourage them to introduce complementary measures to boost growth and incentivise more people to move into the City,” the Lord Mayor said.

The rates exemption scheme applies from 1 July, 2017. For more information, please contact [email protected]

Simon Latimer