Explanation of rates
Port Augusta City Council provide a range of services for the benefit of the community, including:
- Local roads
- Library & cultural centre
- Sporting grounds & recreation centres
- Tourism & information facilities
- Planning & development
- Parks, gardens, playgrounds & public toilets
- Waste management
- Street lighting
- Animal & parking control
- Childcare centre
- Youth & aged care programs
- Food safety inspections
Council rates are essential for providing these important services and to maintain a vibrant, clean and safe local community. Delivering services and facilities rely on the rates collected from ratepayers within a Council’s boundaries. Council rates are a form of taxation, and as the main source of funding for councils, they are essential in enabling them to deliver all of the services and facilities that the community relies on. While Council does receive money from other sources (i.e. grants, subsidies & fees) the largest portion of the funds that Council requires comes from rate revenue.
Each financial year Council must adopt a budget and then set the rates according to the revenue required. Council is required to adjust their rates every year to align with budget requirements.
In setting rates, Councils are governed by the Local Government Act 1999 (the Act), which provides flexibility for councils to make decisions that suit their local community. As a result, the way one council structures its rates may differ from another council. However, no matter what council, your rates will reflect the cost of services provided to your community.
It is not uncommon for ratepayers to compare the amount of rates charged by different Councils; however each council may adopt a different rating methodology to suit a budget based on their unique services and programs. The number of properties which fall within each Council boundary can also vary significantly, therefore the rate in the dollar which each Council sets will differ in order to generate the level of rate revenue required.
Each year Council must also prepare a Rating Policy, which outlines the Council’s methodology in setting and collecting of rates from the community.