Council includes, in their general rate, a component called a “fixed charge”. The fixed charge is a set amount levied against all properties irrespective of their value.

For example:
Property value = $200 000
Rate in the dollar = 0.002627 (often expressed as 0.2627 cents in the dollar)
Property valuation component ($200,000 x 0.002627) = $525.40
Fixed charge = $410
Total rates: $525.40 + $410 = $935.40

A fixed charge, presently $410, ensures all rateable properties pay a base amount to the cost of administering Council activities and maintaining the services and infrastructure that supports each property. Differential Rates based on values are then  applied in addition to the fixed charge.

The Local Government (Land Use) Regulations 1989, provides for the following land uses to be permissible differentiating factors for the purpose of levying differential general rates on the basis of land use.

1. Residential
2. Commercial – Shop
3. Commercial – Office
4. Commercial – Other
5. Industry – Light
6. Industry – Other
7. Primary Production
8. Vacant Land
9. Other

The definition of each category is set out in detail in the Local Government (General) Regulations 2013 (at regulation 10).

Should you have any reason to believe that the land use category applied to your rates assessment is not reflective of the predominant use of your property, you may lodge a written objection with Council, outlining the grounds upon which your objection is based.

Objections must be submitted to Council within 60 days of receipt of the first Rates Notice for the financial year.

Under Section 155 of the Local Government Act, 1999, as amended, Council can impose an annual service charge for:

• Community Wastewater Management Systems (CWMS)
• Water Supply Schemes (At Black Point, Balgowan and Hardwicke Bay)
• An annual service charge may be charged even to non-rateable land, and land that has the benefit of a full rate rebate. It may vary according to:
  – The nature of the service, or
  – The level of usage of the service, or
  – Land use category

  – Some combination of the above
  – But not by the value of the land.

The revenue collected from the service charge cannot exceed the total cost to council of establishing, operating, maintaining improving and replacing (including future capital works) the service.

Council offers Ratepayers the opportunity to pay rates in four equal (or approximately equal) instalments per year. The instalments are due in the months of September, December, March and June. A rates notice will be sent at least 30 days (but not more than 60 days) before payment of each instalment is due.

It is not mandatory for Ratepayers to pay accounts by quarterly instalments.If a Ratepayer wishes to make payment by this method one quarter of the total account must be paid prior to the due date in September. If payment is made by that time, further notices will be forwarded advising payment dates for the remaining three payments.

Full details of all of the various convenient payment options are shown on the remittance advice section of all Rates Notices and Notices of Overdue Rates.

The Local Government Act provides that Councils impose an initial fine of 2% on any payment for rates, whether by single or quarterly, that is received late.A payment that continues to be late is then charged a prescribed interest rate on the expiration of each month that it continues to be late.

The Council issues a notice of overdue rates when rates are overdue i.e. unpaid by the due date.Should rates remain unpaid and if suitable arrangements have not been made for regular payments to clear the account more than three months after the issue of the notice of overdue rates then the Council refers the debt to a debt collection agency for collection.The debt collection agency may charge collection fees that are recoverable from the Ratepayer.

When the Council receives a payment in respect of overdue rates the Council applies the money received as follows:

1. to satisfy any costs awarded in connection with court proceedings,
2. to satisfy any interest costs;
3. in payment of any fines imposed;
4. in payment of rates, in chronological order (starting with the oldest account first).

Click here to view information related to payment difficulties.

The Local Government Act provides that a Council may sell any property where the rates have been in arrears for three years or more. The Council is required to notify the owner of the land of its intention to sell the land if payment of the outstanding amount is not received within one month, and provide the owner with details of the outstanding amounts. Except in extraordinary circumstances, the Council enforces the sale of land for arrears of rates.

A copy of the policy is available from the Director Corporate & Community Services, at the Maitland office on 08 8832 0000 or by email: admin@yorke.sa.gov.au

From 1 July 2017 there will be no concessions provided via Council Rates. The State Government have previously replaced concessions on council rates with the “Cost of Living Concession” and provide these directly to those entitled. This payment may be used for any purpose, including offsetting council rates.

If you were previously eligible for a state government funded concession on CWMS or council provided water this will be paid directly to you by the Department for Communities and Social Inclusion (DCSI) and is no longer provided via your rates notice.

To check eligibility, contact the Department for Communities and Social Inclusion (DCSI) Concessions Hotline on 1800 307 758 or at www.sa.gov.au/.

The Waste Collection and Recycling Service Charge is levied on all rate accounts that are rated residential, commercial or industrial and also those rated primary production with habitable houses.

Council is required to recover no more than the actual cost of providing the service. The calculated cost for waste collection in 2019/2020 is $271.00 per property. A number of rural properties are charged on a tiered basis depending on the distance to the nearest collection point.

This service is not available for properties more than five kilometres from a collection point unless negotiated separately with Council. Service Distance from collection point

Attention farmers!

Single Farm Enterprises (SFE) are a way of reducing the amount of a rates a farmer may have to pay. Where two or more pieces of rateable land, within the area of the Council, constitute a SFE, only one fixed charge may be imposed against the whole of the land. Land does not have to be adjoining or held in the same names, but it has to be demonstrated that the blocks are farmed as the one enterprise.

It is the land-owners’ responsibility to inform the Council of any allotments they may purchase or start farming as a SFE. Likewise, it is their responsibility to inform the Council of any allotments that are no longer part of their enterprise.

Further information of SFE provisions and an application form can be obtained by contacting the Rates Department on 08 8832 0000 or email at admin@yorke.sa.gov.au. Please note that applications cannot be processed retrospectively.

This provision is made under the Local Government Act 1999, which states that where two or more pieces of rateable land within the area of the Council constitute a single farm enterprise only one fixed charge may be imposed against the whole of the land. A Single Farm Enterprise is defined by Section 152 of the Local Government Act 1999.

The legislation further provides that the Single Farm Enterprise provisions only apply “if the Council is satisfied, upon application, and by provision of such information or evidence as the Council may reasonably require, that the relevant land is within the ambit of the provisions.”

Rural land owners that consider that their enterprise meets the provisions of a Single Farm Enterprise, should download the following application form: SF026 Single Farm Enterprise Application

The Capital Value shown on your rates notice is determined by the Land Services SA. Council has no role in the valuation process.

Enquiries regarding the determination of valuations should be made to the State Valuation Office.

Phone 1300 653 346 for general valuation enquiries. 

You may object to the valuation referred to on your Rates Notice by writing served personally or by post to the Valuer-General within 60 days after the date of service of the notice. But note:

a) if you have previously received a notice or notices under the Local Government Act 1999 referring to the valuation and informing you of a 60-day objection period, the objection period is 60 days after service of the first such notice;

b) this 60-day objection period may be extended by the Valuer-General where it can be shown there is a reasonable cause;

c) you may not object to the valuation if the Valuer-General has already considered an objection by you to that valuation.

A written objection to valuation must set out the grounds for objection. Objections can be submitted via an online form by following the Property Values  link at  http://www.landservices.sa.gov.au/ or forwarded to Land Services SA, GPO Box 1354, Adelaide SA 5001.

• Email LSGObjections@sa.gov.au
• Phone 1300 653 345 for objection enquiries

If you lodge an objection, your quarterly rates payment must still be paid in full by the last day to pay – any reduction in rates resulting from the objection will be provided by way of an adjustment or prompt refund upon Council receiving the relevant information from Land Services SA.

The Landscape levy is a State Government initiative under the Landscape Natural Resources Management Act 2004.

It provides additional funding to help take care of natural resources for the benefit of communities in your region and for future generations. It’s not a new levy. It’s a new name for contributions South Australian ratepayers made for many years through their Animal and Plant Control rate revenue contributions through local councils.

The funding from the levy is provided to the Northern and Yorke Landscape Board to supplement State and Australian Government funding to natural resources management activities in your region.

For more information about the levy and the projects your Landscape levy helps fund, please contact the Northern and Yorke Landscape Board on 8841 3444 or visit Landscape SA Northern and Yorke.

The Yorke Peninsula Council  utilises Differential Rating whereby it applies different rates in the dollar for different land uses.

There are nine different land uses that Council can differentiate between. They are:

1. Residential
2. Commercial – Shop
3. Commercial – Office
4. Commercial – Other
5. Industry – Light
6. Industry – Other
7. Primary Production
8. Vacant Land
9. Other

The definition of each category is set out in detail in the Local Government (General) Regulations 1999 (at regulation 10).

Should you have any reason to believe that the land use category applied to your assessment is not reflective of the predominant use of your property, you may lodge a written objection to Council outlining the grounds upon which your objection is based. Objections must be submitted within 60 days of receipt of the first Rates Notice for the financial year.