ARARAT Rural City Council has adopted its General Valuation to allow council to raise rates for the 2018/19 financial year.
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Council passed a motion outlining the valuations of residential, commercial, industrial and rural valuations across the shire at its July meeting on Tuesday.
In his report to council, corporate support manager Don Cole said council received notification from the Valuer-General on July 3 certifying the 2018 General Valuation was “true and correct”.
As outlined in the report, residential valuations rose by 3.45 per cent, commercial by 8.69 per cent and industrial by 0.75 per cent. Rural valuations rose by 24.48 per cent.
“The minister has made his declaration that the valuation is suitable to be adopted and used, and council can raise rates for the 2018/19 financial year,” he said.
“Council’s valuer Paul Newman has delivered valuations for rateable and non-rateable leviable properties to Council.
“The non-rateable leviable valuations are returned to enable council to calculate the Fire Services Levy for these properties.”
In relation to to rise in rural valuations, Councillor Jo Armstrong said the increase was substantial.
”It appears all increases of valuations for each section are generally consistent with the rises we’ve seen in the past,” she said.
“But the comment should be made that there is an extraordinary increase in the rural properties that is not matched at all for the other categories.
“This actually is an exceptional valuation that is out of step with the rest of the local valuations.
“Am I happy about it? No of course not; there’s a huge section of the community that’s not happy about it. It’s difficult to swallow that it’s not across the whole board.
“There is a 24.48 per cent increase for rural and the next highest increase is a third of that.”
Councilor Peter Beales said he was in support of Cr Armstrong’s comments.
“However, the reality is what we’ve marked out in our budget are these figures," he said.
Councillor Fay Hull said council should adopt the report.
“I believe the report is comprehensive and very self-explanatory. The minister has endorsed it and so should we,” she said.
The motion was passed to adopt the valuations as they were presented.
