Mitchell Shire Council has adopted its revised Special Rates and Charges Policy 2023.
Council has not levied a special rate or change in over 10 years, but it remains an option for consideration.
The policy explains how council can enact a special rate or special charge scheme where appropriate to do so.
It applies to construction and infrastructure works and economic development projects across Mitchell Shire where the proposed works would provide specific rateable properties with a special benefit additional to or greater than the general benefits provided to other rateable properties in the shire.
Council would only proceed to establish a Special Rate or Special Charge where there is clear support from a majority of landowners that will be affected by a Special Rate or Special Charge scheme – a clear majority is 65 per cent support of landowners.
Councillor Annie Goble said it was important to note the policy was not about standard rates.
“The purpose of this policy is to explain how council can enact a special rate or special charge scheme – it’s not specifically about rates,” she said.
“It could be a specific number of properties that might have a special benefit in regard to a new road construction or huge drainage issue or be flood mitigation – something like that.
“It isn’t so much about rates but special charges applied to individual property owners for their own benefit.”
Council endorsed the draft Special Rates and Charges Policy 2023 for community consultation at its October 16, 2023 meeting.
The draft policy was made available to the community via the Engaging Mitchell platform between November 1 and November 30, 2023.
Council had 67 visits to the Engaging Mitchell platform to view the draft policy.
One community member made a submission to which a response was provided on November 8, 2023.
“It’s rather interesting that 67 people come back, possibly if it had been about rates specifically, we would’ve had a couple of thousand [visitors],” Cr Goble said.
Councillor David Lowe said it was interesting there was no negative feedback.
“I would just like everybody to note that this policy went out for community consultation, and we had 67 people visiting the site to view this policy and we have had no negative feedback coming to us about the policy which is quite good numbers,” he said.
“But perhaps if we have people commenting positively it would give us even more confidence.”
