Your rates at work

A MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR

Council delivers more than 58 services and programs to support its community, ensuring Maribyrnong remains a great place to live, work and play.

The last twelve months have again proved challenging for our community dealing with the ongoing effects of the pandemic, and with COVID-19 still a factor, the dilemma for Council continues to be how we deliver the facilities and services our community is asking for, on a limited income.

Recognising and considering the ongoing effects of COVID-19 on our local economy, we have remained focused during the development of this year’s Budget, to deliver the services to support the needs of our growing community as we continue the journey to recovery.

This includes facilitating a capital works program that not only responds to current community needs but also looks to the future.

This year, in line with the rates cap set by the State Government, there will be a 1.75% increase in total rates revenue collected to support much-needed community services.

The advice and feedback provided by many in our community during engagement helped inform the development of a financially, socially and environmentally responsible budget we believe meets the needs of local residents and businesses, while also recognising the ongoing impacts of the COVID pandemic on our community.

This brochure outlines how and where your rates will be used and how they will contribute to making the City of Maribyrnong a better place for all of us.

Cr Anthony Tran Mayor of the City of Maribyrnong

WE’RE ON THE MOVE

We’ve begun packing up our offices at Footscray Town Hall to prepare for the Civic and Community Precinct development.

The $36 million dollar development will see the 80 year old heritage Town Hall building refurbished and returned to the community for meetings and gatherings and the creation of a new public park, providing an exciting new space for the community and Council to meet and come together.

The existing civic offices and community services buildings will be demolished in favour of a new, modern, efficient and sustainable six-star Green Star civic administration building. Along with an upgrade to meet current building code and universal access requirements, the project will also allow for the original Napier Street portico entry to be utilised once again.

During construction, the Council Chamber will be relocated to the Braybrook Community Hub with the first meetings to be hosted there in October.

A new temporary customer service centre will also be established at the Footscray Library for the duration of redevelopment works, where residents will be able to come in for face to face advice and support, and make payments. We’ll provide more details around these changes and how you can continue to contact us, closer to the time.

Once the redevelopment works are complete, sometime towards the end of 2024, Footscray Town Hall will begin a new chapter, providing opportunities for our community to utilise this much treasured space and ensure its longevity for decades more to come.

We’ll keep you updated on progress on our website.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR RATES NOTICE

This is a typical residential rate notice. Individual rate notices may vary depending on individual circumstances.

Property assessment number

Required when paying your rates.

Valuations

Council uses the capital improved value which is total market value of the land plus buildings as at the valuation date

How your rates are calculated

This is your rate amount for 2022/23, which is calculated by multiplying the rate in the dollar set by Council by the property valuation, which is set by the Valuer General.

The rate in the dollar is set annually, for the 2022/23 financial year this is set at $0.00249243 for residential properties.

Council pensioner rebate

Council provides an additional rebate to Pensioner and Veteran Affairs card holders.

Pensioner rebate

If you hold a Pensioner Concession or Veteran Affairs card you are eligible to receive a rebate on your rates and are also entitled to a rebate against the Fire Services Property Levy.

Municipal charge

Contributes to the operational costs of Council.

Waste management service charge

The three-bin charge is for residents in stand-alone houses. Along with the weekly rubbish and fortnightly recycling bin collection, this also pays for a new fortnightly green bin collection; and one general rubbish and hard waste kerbside collection for the year. Residents in multi-dwelling complexes will see a Waste Management Charge 1 (2 Services at $233.00) or Waste Management Charge 2 (3 Services at $289.00) on your rate notice, which pays for your weekly rubbish and fortnightly recycling bin collections, and one general rubbish and green hard waste kerbside collection for the year.

Fire services property levy charge

This is a State Government charge shown on all Council rate notices. Levies collected are paid to the State Revenue Office.

Fire services property levy rebate

If you hold a Pensioner Concession or Veteran Affairs card you are eligible to receive a rebate on your rates and are also entitled to a rebate against the Fire Services Property Levy.

Total outstanding

This amount indicates all the rates and charges for 2022/23, yet to be paid.

69% of

comes from

and Federal governments.

rates.

$19.60

$28.93

$46.64

$28.44

$85.35

WHERE DO YOUR RATES GO?

Your rates allow the City of to-day life. These services help

This is just a snapshot of some

SERVICE FOR EVERY $100 OF EXPENDITURE FACT

Activation and festivals $2.81

• community connection is

• festivals attract more than Aged and diversity $2.02

Arts and culture $1.12

Asset management $0.13

Building maintenance $3.64

• programs and activities to property maintenance

• encouraging community

• strengthen arts community

• keeping our infrastructure

• ensuring our buildings are

Capital and improvement works $34.62

Community centres $1.24

Connecting the community and advocacy $1.77

Customer service $1.22

Early years and maternal and child health $3.20

Emergency and risk management $0.36

• keeping our city presentable

• constructing and upgrading City amenity $5.25

• responding to after hours

• more than 100,000 visits

• providing more than 18,000

• engaging with our community

• advocating to State and

• providing efficient and friendly

• informing our community

• keeping our children healthy playgroup support

• promoting healthy and happy

• ensuring the safety of our organisations

Finance and HR $3.27

• providing good governance

• administering all financial Governance and commercial Services $4.30

• ensuring Council’s legislative Information technology $6.55

Leisure, health and wellbeing $3.50

Library services $4.26

Local laws and compliance -$1.14

• utilising technology initiatives

• providing free public Wi-Fi

• improving the health and the Maribyrnong Aquatic

• five libraries across the City including eBooks, online

• investing $920k on library

• responding to community

• planning for our growing Roads and drainage maintenance $4.03

Open space, city design and strategic planning $5.18

• manage and maintain 346km Sports and turf maintenance $6.44

Sustainability and environment $5.09

Youth services $1.14

GRAND

• improve community sportsgrounds

• greening our City and improving

• allocating $460k towards

• supporting young people

$100.00

of Maribyrnong to deliver a variety of services that impact almost every aspect of dayhelp improve our neighbourhood and create a healthy and vibrant community. some of the services that Council can deliver as a result of your rates:

is supported by more than 30 festivals and events throughout the year* than 150,000 residents and visitors, helping to boost business and tourism* to support older people include delivered meals, social support programs, annual Seniors Festival, community transport and community participation by offering over $631,000 in grants, funding and arts programs community with annual grants, low-cost leases to local arts organisations and artist in-residence programs infrastructure up to scratch, managing and maintaining community buildings and facilities, roads, drains and footpaths are kept in shape and repairs are carried out quickly and comply with safety regulations upgrading our assets and community spaces, to ensure the needs of our community are met now and well into the future presentable and safe with footpath sweeping and cleansing programs, Safe City CCTV, syringe and sharps facilities, and fire hydrants hours and emergency call outs with rapid response service for graffiti and illegal rubbish dumping visits to our three community centres* 18,000 people with quality activities* and programs at our community centres and libraries community including over 35,647 visits to our online consultation platform Your City Your Voice and Federal government on major initiatives friendly service to our residents by responding to over 165,000 customer requests community about our services, projects and initiatives with over 2.19 million web page visits healthy by providing advice and support through maternal and child health education services, child care, kindergarten and happy families through assessments, support services, referrals, education and immunisation programs our community by mitigating risks and emergencies by collaborating with emergency services, government and community financial matters, human resources and occupational health and safety. This includes preparing a fiscally responsible budget governance and accountability with Monthly Council Meetings and Special Committee Meetings legislative requirements are met including contracts, procurements and risks initiatives to manage the city’s resources and services and develop the city as a ‘Smart City’ Wi-Fi in our facilities and wellbeing of our community by providing health, fitness, leisure and education programs and attracting 420,000 visitors to Aquatic Centre*

City providing a multifaceted space for reading, meeting, researching or reflecting, and delivering an online library service 24/7, online programs library collections community needs by managing, regulating and controlling activities which provide peace, order and good government growing City and ensuring we meet the needs of our community by providing strategic direction for open spaces and urban design

346km local road network by investing $15.779 million on road and drainage improvement works across the City sportsgrounds and lawns by gardening, mowing, replacing damaged equipment and watering improving biodiversity by planting over 20,000 new trees, shrubs and ground covers towards our response to the Climate Emergency, including offering environmental and solar programs for residents and businesses people aged 12 to 25 years by providing programs, activities and services at Phoenix Youth Hub

COUNCIL REBATES

Victorian home owners with eligible concession cards can claim a deduction on their rates. The rebate is reviewed each year in line with Consumer Price Index changes.

If you hold a pensioner concession card or a Veteran Affairs card, you are eligible to receive a rebate on your rates.

For the 2022/23 financial year, Council has adopted the following rate rebates:

State funded pensioner rates remissions scheme

This is a rebate of 50% of rates and charges up to a maximum of $253.20 per assessment (plus $50 for the fire services levy).

Maribyrnong City Council funded pensioner rates rebate scheme

This is an additional rebate payable to pensioners up to a maximum of $204.85.

HARD WASTE COLLECTION

Council provides one free pre-booked hard waste collection for residential properties each calendar year. Most hard, metal and green waste materials can be collected, excluding hazardous, building and bulky materials.

FIRE SERVICES PROPERTY LEVY

Council collects the Fire Services Levy from ratepayers on behalf of the Victorian Government. All funds received through this levy go directly to supporting the Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB). For more information, visit firelevy.vic.gov.au

FINANCIAL PLAN

Financial Plan continues to focus on maintaining ageing infrastructure, planning for rapid population growth and maintaining excellence in program and service delivery. It also includes promotion of health and wellbeing opportunities for residents through the investment in improving the City’s natural spaces such as the bike and river trail, parks and gardens.

PROPERTY VALUATIONS

The Valuer-General is the sole authority on land valuations that take place annually.

If you disagree with the value of your property, as listed on your rate notice, you can lodge an objection in writing to Council in the prescribed form within two months of the issue date of your original rates notice. The objection will then be sent to the Valuer-General’s contract valuer for review and assessment.

For further information about lodging an objection, please visit the rating valuation objections portal via ratingvaluationobjections.vic.gov.au

FINANCIAL HARDSHIP ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE

With the financial impact of the pandemic being felt by so many, Council is continuing to provide support to ratepayers in our community who are experiencing financial hardship. Rates relief and other resources are available to eligible ratepayers.

If COVID-19 has financially impacted you or your business, you can apply for:

• Payment plans: make regular payments tailored to your needs.

• Rates deferment: if you can’t make regular payments you can have your debt accumulated with the full payment due 1 July 2023

• Pensioner rebates: available for ratepayers eligible for the State Government Pensioner Rebate.

You can apply online for rates relief assistance via our website or call 9688 0200 to discuss your options.

HOW YOUR RATES ARE CALCULATED

How much you pay for rates depends on the value of your property. The Valuer General conducts valuations on all properties each year to determine the Capital Improved Value (CIV) of your property, which is used by Council to calculate rates.

To work out how much you pay in rates, your property’s CIV (provided by the Valuer General) is multiplied by the ‘rate in the dollar’.

The rate in the dollar is calculated by dividing the total amount of rates revenue Council needs to provide essential services and facilities for the year, by the total value (CIV) of all rateable properties in the City of Maribyrnong.

The rate in the dollar varies depending on the type of property you own.

We have complied with Victorian Government rates cap increase for 2022-23, which means the total rates revenue we can collect across the municipality can only increase by a maximum of 1.75% on last year, where a zero rates increase was applied. Other income such as waste charges and other user fees and levies, remain uncapped.

While the Rate Cap applies to a council’s total rates revenue, individual properties (rate assessments) may increase or decrease by more (or less) than the capped increase. This generally happens because the value of the property has increased or decreased in relation to the value of other properties in the municipality.