Your Council rates for 2023-24 explained

Residents of the Central Coast will soon receive their rates notice towards the end of July 2023. We use your rates to provide and maintain essential services and facilities such as roads, footpaths, sport and recreation facilities, libraries, lifeguards, waste services, environmental protection and much more. This enables us to help ensure that the Central Coast is a great place to live, work and play.

The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) determines how much councils can charge for rates, and the annual increase or ‘rate peg’ – which is 3.7% for 2023-24. There is also an additional 0.1% that is allowed for population growth, resulting in a total increase of 3.8%.

This increase is applied to Council’s total rate income for the financial year.

Council calculates a rate charge by multiplying your property’s unimproved land value by the Ad Valorem Rate in the dollar. A different rate in the dollar applies to each rating category (i.e residential, business).

There is a set minimum rate of $590.62 that applies for all rating categories for 2023-2024.

Rates calculator tool

We’ve developed an online tool available on our website which calculates the estimated difference between your rates payable in 2022-23 versus 2023-24, based on current and previous land values. Find the online rates calculator tool here.

Rebates and hardship assitance

To find out if you are eligible to apply for a pensioner rebate or hardship assistance on your rates notice and water account, visit rebates and hardship assistance

2022 land revaluation and the impact on rates

The NSW Valuer General provides independent land valuations every three years. The most recent revaluation occurred in 2022 and will be applicable for the 2023-24 financial year. The NSW Valuer General Property advises that sales primarily influence land values.

The value of a parcel of land does not include the value of any buildings or structures on it.

Across the Central Coast, residential properties have seen on average a 74 percent increase in their land valuations. However, it’s important to note this does not directly correlate to an equivalent increase in your Council rates and we don’t receive more money if land values increase.

We will only collect additional rates from the 2022 land revaluation at the approved 3.8% rate peg increase.

You can find out more information on rates and read FAQs by clicking here. Or go to the Office of Local Government’s web page, olg.nsw.gov.au