{"id":144326,"date":"2016-05-10T13:57:54","date_gmt":"2016-05-10T03:57:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=144326"},"modified":"2020-10-15T12:00:22","modified_gmt":"2020-10-15T02:00:22","slug":"half-yearly-rates-back-on-the-table","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2016\/05\/10\/half-yearly-rates-back-on-the-table\/","title":{"rendered":"Half-Yearly Rates Back On The Table"},"content":{"rendered":"
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South Burnett mayor Keith Campbell<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

May 10, 2016<\/strong><\/p>\n

The South Burnett Regional Council will consider moving from quarterly back to half-yearly rates at its next meeting on Wednesday, May 18.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

It was also hoped that smaller, more frequent bills would help reduce the level of rate arrears.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Instead, the cost of issuing four sets of rates notices rather than two each year had increased Council’s costs by around $250,000.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

But he warned it would prove difficult to switch.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Today Mayor Keith Campbell said the Council will be discussing the subject later this month.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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