Rating Structure Review - Town Improvement Levy

Oberon Council has undertaken a process of public consultation in relation to a review of the Town Improvement Levy.

Changes to the Oberon Rating Structure – Town Improvement Levy

Over the last 9 months Oberon Council has been undertaking a review of the rating structure, with a particular focus on the Town Improvement Levy. The Town Improvement Levy is raised on every rateable assessment within the Oberon gazetted township for town improvements in that area. The levy has been an integral part of Oberon Council’s rating structure since 1934 and has delivered a variety of projects since inception. In 2023 -24 the Town Improvement Levy will raise $555,722.

The review process was extensive and included an array of consultation with Local Government stakeholders, Councillors, and community. The community consultation program was undertaken over 90 days with an extensive program including surveys, in-person meetings and a submission process. A report on the findings was provided to Council for deliberation at the 19 March 2024 Ordinary meeting.

At the meeting Council resolved to discontinue the Town Improvement Levy and to distribute this component of rating revenue into the base rate component within the ordinary rate structure from FY24/25.

What this means:

The Town Improvement Levy will cease to exist in the FY24/25 Operational budget. All existing TI funds and project allocations will be treated as per the current practice until all projects are delivered.
Ratepayers within the Town Improvement zone will no longer be paying this levy.
All ratepayers in the Local Government Area will have an additional charge added into the Base Rate component of their rates. This is estimated at $141 per assessment.

The benefits:

A more fair and equitable distribution of rates across the community.
Projects and resources able to be allocated across the Local Government Area in accordance with the broader needs of the community.
Reduced administration costs to Council and community

Council would like to thank all the members of the Community for their participation in the consultation process. If you have any further questions please don’t hesitate to contact Oberon Council on 63298100.

Consultation Information:

In November 2023, Council resolved to undertake a 90-day consultation period to seek community feedback in relation to the future of the Town Improvement Levy. The consultation was part of a wider review to ensure the equity and outcomes of the rating structure are still relevant for our community. Feedback from the consultation process and a recommendation on the future of the Town Improvement Levy were presented to Council at the Ordinary Council Meeting on 19 March 2024.

Community Awareness:

The Town Improvement Levy is raised on every rateable assessment within the Oberon gazetted township for town improvements within that area. In 2023-24 the Town Improvement Levy will raise $555,722 and Council nominated the following projects through the Integrated Planning and Reporting Process (IP&R)

Kerb and Gutter improvements
Construction of the Oberon Library and Community Centre
Continued beautification and recreation works at the Oberon Common
Footpath Upgrades
Drainage improvements at Richards Park
Bulky goods collection

The levy has been an integral part of Oberon Council’s rating structure since 1934 and has delivered a variety of projects since inception. The Town Improvement Levy is a component of Council’s yearly permissible income calculations and subject to the specification of a percentage variation by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART).

Council is undertaking a review of the Town Improvement Levy to ensure the equity and outcomes of the rating structure are still relevant for our community. This process includes a thorough consultation process to gather input and consensus on the most appropriate pathway forward for the future of the Town Improvement Levy.

The consultation process will be undertaken across a 3-month period and include an array of online and in-person engagements to ensure appropriate avenues for all within the community to provide feedback. Council has developed a review paper with details and considerations for the future of the Town improvement and examples of how any re-distribution into the broader rate pool would impact those across the community.

Some ratepayers have raised concerns that any adjustments to the Town Improvement Levy will result in an increase to Council’s income. This is not the case, the total revenue generated by rates is capped and subject to the specification of a percentage variation by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART). Accordingly, the any adjustments to the Levy will not generate any additional revenue for Oberon Council.

Along with scenario modelling and individual assessment examples, Council has developed a set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to address common questions arising from the review process. All details can be found in the Related Information section on the right-hand side of this page.

Have your say.

Please be advised that the consultation period for this review has now closed.

Further questions?

You can find a list of frequently asked questions in the Review document.

Should you have further questions, feel free to call (02) 6329 8100 and ask to speak with someone regarding the Town Improvement Levy Review.

Prefer to speak with someone in person? Our Administration Centre is located at 137 Oberon Street, Oberon - Please call to book an appointment.

Alternatively, send us an email with any questions you have to ratingreview@oberon.nsw.gov.au