Landowners on Wyndham’s urban fringe have urged the council to push for changes to property valuation processes and triggers for land development in a bid to limit soaring rates bills.
Contributing to the council’s review into its rating strategy for next financial year, ratepayers also asked the council to push for changes to the ministerial guidelines for differential rates.
Under new guidelines introduced by the state government last year, the council is unable to offer lower rates for landowners on the urban fringe. Previously, rates for urban growth zone properties were 10 per cent less than those for residential properties.
The review began last year after landowners in Wyndham’s north were on the end of rates increases of up to 700 per cent in 2012-13, following revaluations.
The council attributed the increases to land being brought within the urban growth boundary in 2010, meaning it could eventually be sold to developers for higher prices.
Residents struggling to pay their rates protested at council meetings in July and August, 2012, with police called to the August meeting after the council came under fire from nearly 200 people in the gallery.
At the time, Tarneit pensioner Coralie Porter said her rates bill had doubled, from about $2000 to $4000.
“They haven’t taken any thought into what the land is like out here,” she said.
Last week, Cr Gautam Gupta said the review was one of the council’s most important pieces of work. “The new rates have been endorsed by the people who were upset at the rating strategy,” he said of the new strategy.
The review also considered the introduction of differential rates for farm land, rural lifestyle land and vacant rural land. Council has decided against the introduction of a differential rate for retirement villages, despite repeated requests from retirees.
The review is open for public comment until March 25.
