May 10, 2016
The South Burnett Regional Council will consider moving from quarterly back to half-yearly rates at its next meeting on Wednesday, May 18.
Quarterly rates were introduced in July 2012 in an effort to lower the impact half-yearly rates bills were having on household and business budgets.
It was also hoped that smaller, more frequent bills would help reduce the level of rate arrears.
But in April 2014 – with almost two years of data on the effects of the change – it was found that quarterly rates bills had no effect on rates arrears.
Instead, the cost of issuing four sets of rates notices rather than two each year had increased Council’s costs by around $250,000.
Former Mayor Wayne Kratzmann said at the time that in light of this information he was in favour of returning to twice-yearly rate notices.
But he warned it would prove difficult to switch.
This was because whenever a change back to half-yearly notices occurred, ratepayers would receive a bill for three months rates, and their next bill would be for six months.
He felt that the Council would need to take special steps to ensure ratepayers were not burdened by this, and suggested extending the discount period and/or moving back the point where penalty interest applied as two options that could be considered.
Today Mayor Keith Campbell said the Council will be discussing the subject later this month.
While no decision had yet been made, the Mayor thought most Councillors were broadly in favour of returning to half-yearly rates notices to reduce Council’s costs.
The main points of discussion would be about how to minimise the impact on ratepayers of any switch back to half-yearly rates, and when any proposed changeover would occur.
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A return to six monthly rates with an extended discount period sounds fair.