Kiama Council are investigating an apparent spill at the mouth of the Crooked River at Gerroa. Residents and visitors should avoid wading through or swimming in the mouth of the river until further notice.
Swamp Road is now open following recent flooding. Please drive carefully.
Our sports fields have been inspected and their status changed to caution after the recent rain. Users must inspect the ground conditions and make a decision if they will play or train on the fields in their current conditions.
A number of our public facilities will be closed from midday, Friday 8 December 2023 for a staff function. This includes our Administration Centre, Kiama and Gerringong Libraries, Family History Centre and Kiama Leisure Centre. The Minnamurra Waste and Recycling Centre will be open, as well as our Visitor Information Centre, The Pavilion and SENTRAL Youth Services.
Our development assessment team is currently experiencing heavy demand for their services. We ask customers to make a booking for any development advice.
Allowable rate increase:
Revaluation – property land values:
Rate Category
(as shown on your rate notice)
Rate in the $
Base Amount
$
Proposed Rate Income
Residential
0.0007743
896.80
17,881,365
Residential Rural
0.00087470
492,617
Farmland
0.00064050
764,346
Business
0.00186252
42.166
Business commercial/ Industrial
0.00351
A minimum rate of 896.80 applies.
1,571,721
Note: The figures shown may change slightly as Council adds more rateable properties to its rate base up to 30 June, 2023.
The total rate bill is calculated by Land Value x Rate in $ = Amount + Base Amount = Total Rate Bill
Residential (example):
Land Value
Rate in $
Amount
Total
850,000
658.16
1,554.96
Rural Residential (example):
743.50
1,640.30
Farmland (example):
544.43
1,441.23
Council recognises that due to exceptional circumstances, ratepayers may at times encounter difficulty paying their annual rates and charges. Council has a Debt Recovery and Hardship Assistance Policy(PDF, 555KB) that provides a framework for providing relief to any ratepayers who are suffering genuine financial hardship.
Apply for hardship relief.
Not true.
Compared to other local Councils, Kiama’s average residential rates are in the same band as Shellharbour, Wingecarribee, Wollongong and Newcastle https://www.yourcouncil.nsw.gov.au/compare-councils/.
Not necessarily true.
After a revaluation, such as the recent one by the NSW Value General dated 1 July 2022, the distribution (or spread) of rates changes for each ratepayer. Because of this redistribution, your rates may increase, decrease or stay the same.
Council does not receive any more money due to land values going up, we can only increase our rates by the amount of the rate peg set by NSW Government’s IPART.
Only your residential (rate-in-the-dollar) amount is affected by the recent valuation. The base amount is the same for every residential ratepayer across our municipality. And Council can only increase rates according to IPART's instruction.
Kiama Council’s rates income for 2023-24 equates to $20.75 million.
Our operating expenses for 2022-23 are budgeted to be $90.45 million and income is budgeted to be $105.88 million.
As at 31 March 2023 our reserves are:
Council, like any business has to balance its income with its expenses.
Capital works expenditure is as follows:
Grants take a lot of resources to apply for, work through and ensure the milestone reports and acquittals are all done correctly. Many grants require in-kind support or matched funding and still use Council resources (project managers, communications support, labour). Although we are genuinely grateful for all our grants and have achieved wonderful outcomes via grant-funded projects, they are not a panacea for our financial and resourcing challenges.
$20,752,217.
Residential $18,373982
Farmland $764,347
Business $1,613,888
Rates are used to provide essential infrastructure and services to residents and ratepayers of our municipality such as parks & gardens, sports fields, roads, bridges, footpaths, swimming pools, beach safety and libraries.
You’ll need to get in touch with the Valuer General. You can find contact information on your letter or visit:
https://www.valuergeneral.nsw.gov.au/
If you’re experiencing financial hardship and struggling to pay your rates, please get in touch with Kiama Council prior to when your rates fall due. There are a range of options in place to assist you.
Find out more
Find out if you may be eligible for a pensioner rebate on your rates here https://www.kiama.nsw.gov.au/Council/Your-rates/Apply-for-a-pensioner-rebate
You can pay your rates online, via phone, in person, via mail, set up a direct debit or use BPay.
https://www.kiama.nsw.gov.au/Council/Your-rates/Pay-your-rates
Absolutely, click this link to find out more.
https://www.kiama.nsw.gov.au/Council/Your-rates/Rates-notice-via-email