Annual Report 2006/07 (3841 kb) - City of Playford - SA.Gov.au

CITY OF PLAYFORDRATING POLICY STATEMENT 2006/2007INTRODUCTIONThis document sets out the policy of the City of Playford for setting and collecting rates fromits community. The main aspects covered by this policy are:Rates Charged• method used to value land• general rates• fixed charge• differential rates• residential• commercial• primary production• country townships• water catchment levyRate Collection• payment of rates• late payment of rates• non-payment of rates• remission and postponement of rates• rebate of ratesSTRATEGIC FOCUSIn determining a suitable rating policy the Council has considered the following:• “Playford Plan 2002-2012“• “City Plan 2006-2007”• “City of Playford 10 Year Financial Plan”• The Local Government Act 1999• The Local Government Amendment Act 2005In addition, during 1998/1999 Council undertook an extensive “Rating Policy ConsultationProcess”. This enabled Council to ascertain the impact of rates on the community and tointroduce a rating policy which equalised rates across the previous two amalgamated citieswhilst maintaining the broad principle of achieving fairness and equity in the distribution ofthe rate burden. The 2006/07 policy is based on the same key principles that wereestablished during the 1998/1999 Consultation Process.METHOD USED TO VALUE LANDAll land within a council area, except land specifically exempt (eg Crown land, Council ownedland), is rateable.Rates will be assessed against any piece or section of land subject to separate occupation.However, there may be exceptions granted for specific land use codes under Section 148 ofthe Local Government Act. This section of the Act provides that decisions in regards to thebasis on which rates are assessed must be made fairly and in accordance with principles andpractices that apply on a uniform basis across the area of Council. In these circumstances,subject to approval by Council, rates will be assessed based on land ownership.