Method Used to Value Land

All land within the Council area, except for land specifically exempt (eg Crown land and Council occupied land), is rateable. Clare & Gilbert Valleys Council has decided to continue to use capital value as the basis for valuing land within the Council area. The Council considers that this method of valuing provides the fairest method of distributing the rate burden across all ratepayers.

Property Valuations

The Council has adopted the valuations made by the SA Valuer-General as available to the Council on 30 June 2023.

The capital value of your property will include the value of your land, buildings and any improvements made to the land.

The Office of the Valuer General determines the capital value for your property, which is then provided to the council for the purposes of calculating your council rates.

If you believe that your property value is incorrect you may lodge an objection within 60 days of receiving your first rate notice for the financial year. Objections must be in writing using one of the following methods;

Online: www.valuergeneral.sa.gov.au

Email: OVGobjections@sa.gov.au

Post: Office of the Valuer General, GPO Box 1354, Adelaide SA 5001

The telephone number to contact is 1300 653 346.

Further information and objection applications forms are available on their website www.valuergeneral.sa.gov.au

Please note that the Council has no role in this process. It is also important to note that the lodgement of an objection does not change the due date for the payment of rates.

Land Use

Differential General Rates imposed by the Council are based on various Land Use Categories. Should you have any reason to believe that the Land Use Category applied to your property is incorrect, you may lodge a written objection to Council outlining the grounds upon which your objection is based (including the Land Use Category that you consider should have been attributed). Objections must be submitted to Council within 60 days after you receive notice of the attribution of the particular land use to which the objection relates (unless the Council in its discretion allows an extension of time).   Download Land Use Objection Form - Please supply evidence of the proposed land use.

Rates are still due and payable by the due date even if an objection has been lodged.

Differential General Rates

In order to deliver services, the Local Government Act 1999 provides for a Council to raise revenue by applying rates. This year, pursuant to Section 153 (3) of the Local Government Act, 1999 the Council resolves not to fix a maximum increase in the general rate to be charged on the principal place of residence of a principal ratepayer. A copy of the 2022-2023 Annual Business Plan is available under "Council Documents".

Clare & Gilbert Valleys Council has adopted differential rating.  The differential general rates are based on the following land use categories:

Annual Service Charge - Community Wastewater Management Scheme

Council provides a CWMS (previously known as STEDS), to all residential and commercial properties in Clare, Riverton and Saddleworth. Everyone connected to the scheme (or in the case of a vacant lot - able to be connected), is required to pay a service charge, which is included on the rate notice. This year the Council will recover the operating and maintenance costs through a service charge of $496 for each property unit for which the service is available.

Annual Service Charge - Waste Collection Service

Council provides a Waste Collection Service to all properties within the following towns - Clare, Armagh, Riverton, Saddleworth, Mintaro, Sevenhill, Auburn, Watervale, Manoora, Rhynie, Marrabel, Stockport, Tarlee and Waterloo.  An annual service charge of $240.00 will be charged to all land to which it provides or makes available the waste collection service.  For all properties outside of the above townships that have made application and have access along the route to the  waste collection service (inclusive of recyclable collection), an annual service charge of $240.00.

Landscape Levy (previously known as Natural Resources Management (NRM) Levy)

Council collects a regional Landscape Levy on behalf of the Northern & Yorke Natural Resources Management Board. This levy consolidates a number of previous costs associated with animal and plant control, soils management, revegetation etc.

The levy funds vital Landscape projects and is calculated on the capital value on all rateable properties.

For more information about the projects your regional Landscape levy helps fund, please phone Northern & Yorke Landscape Board on the enquiry line 8841 3444 or visit their website www.landscape.sa.gov.au

If you have an enquiry regarding below, please contact the corresponding service.

National Parks and Wildlife Services: Yorke and Mid North:  Phone. 8841 3400

• National Parks
• Native Animal, eg Kangaroos
• Native Vegetation, eg trees on peoples blocks

Northern and Yorke Landscape Board:  Phone 8841 3444

• Pest Animals, eg rabbits, foxes
• Pest / declared Weeds
• Water

Payment of Rates - click here for  online payments

Ratepayers are able to pay their Council rates in four (approximately equal) instalments in accordance with the Local Government Act 1999. The instalment dates for the 2022/2023 year are:

• 6 September 2023
• 6 December 2023
• 6 March 2024
• 5 June 2024

A rates notice is issued approximately one month before each of the due dates. Rates may be paid in full at any time.

Rates may be paid:

• By post:  Clare & Gilbert Valleys Council 4 Gleeson Street CLARE SA 5453
• By BPAY:  internet or telephone banking, by using cheque or savings account, please   contact your bank for details
• In person: at any Clare & Gilbert Valleys Council office during the hours of 9am to 5pm,  Monday to Friday (excluding Public Holidays)
• By telephone by calling 8842 6400 using credit card
• At post offices with Post Billpay (make sure the barcode is attached)

Click here to access the Electronic Rates Payments

Please note it is the ratepayers' responsibility to ensure that rate payments, including post and BPAY, reach Council by the due date.

Any ratepayer who may, or is likely to, experience difficulty with meeting the standard payment arrangements is invited to contact the Rates Officer on 8842 6400 to discuss alternative payment arrangements. Such enquiries are treated confidentially by the Council.

To download the "Rates Deferment Due to Hardship Policy" please click on the link below:

Rates Deferment Due to Hardship Policy(103 kb)

Fines

In accordance with the provisions of Section 181 of the Local Government Act a statutory fine of 2% must be added to rates unpaid by the due date.  Each month thereafter a further fine of the prescribed percentage must be added.  It is therefore in your interest to pay rates as soon as possible.

Recovery of Rates

Where rates are not paid by the applicable due dates, monies owing may be recovered by action in any Court of Competent Jurisdiction or by requiring the occupier to pay the rent to the Council in satisfaction of such rates, or by sale of property where the rates have been due and owing for not less than three years.

Council provides Section 7 searches under the Land and Business (Sales and Conveyancing) Act 1994 and Section 187 Certificates of Liabilities under the Local Government Act 1999.

Applications must be received in writing and accompanied by the prescribed fee. Request for Section 7 (Full) searches must also be accompanied by a copy of the Certificate of Title.

Applications can be emailed to development@cgvc.sa.gov.au or you may apply and pay online, click here

Note for Conveyancers for settlement

Council recommends that a rate balance update be done prior to settlement, a complimentary certificate will only be provided within 90 days of original certificate. The relevant fee will be payable after 90 days or for a new financial year. Please email rates@cgvc.sa.gov.au and also advise the settlement date.

Please note that balances will not be provided over the phone.

Council requests that all conveyancers provide notification of the completed settlement transaction and any payments made by Bpay

Ratepayers are required to keep their contact details and postal address details in the assessment record updated. A change in postal address can be provided in writing, email (click here) or online (click here)

EzyBill (email)

Council rate notices can now be emailed using EzyBill. To register please follow the link below to create an account using your preferred email address, then register using your assessment number shown on your rate notice.

To  register for Ezybill click  claregilbertvalleys.ezybill.com.au

Once registered you can now login to Ezybill and download your notice/s at anytime.

Council Rates Rebates

The Local Government Act 1999 provides for mandatory council rate rebates for some properties, specifically land used for health services, community services, religious purposes, public cemeteries, zoos and educational institutions. There are also provisions for other rebates at Council discretion

Rate Rebate Policy and Application

State Government Concessions

To check your eligibility for State Government Concessions, visit www.sa.gov.au/concessions or contact the ConcessionsSA Hotline on 1800 307 758.

Postponement of Rates - Seniors

Recent changes to the Local Government Act provide the option for State Seniors Card holders to apply to postpone, on a long-term basis, part of their Council rates. The deferred amount is subject to a monthly interest charge, with the accrued debt being payable on the disposal or sale of the property. However, the debt may be paid at any earlier time at the ratepayer's discretion. A ratepayer who holds, or is in the process of applying for a State Seniors Card may apply for postponement of a portion of the Council rates payable on property they own or are buying. This applies if it is the principal place of residence. It is also a requirement that no other person other than a spouse has an interest as owner of the property. Please telephone the Rates Department on 8842 6400 to discuss your application and lodge your application form. This will provide an opportunity for you to obtain more information about the Postponement of Rates Scheme and the conditions that will apply, and for any questions or concerns you might have.

Postponement of Rates for Seniors Information Sheet

Postponements of Rates for Seniors Application Form

Single Farm Enterprise Applications

If you are a farmer with two or more pieces of rateable land in the Council district, (which are not adjoining), then you may be eligible to apply to have your farm classified as a ‘single farm enterprise’.  To be eligible for this your rateable land must be used as farm land/primary production and owned or occupied by the same person or persons

Classification as a single farm enterprise means that only one minimum rate will apply to land subject to the classification.

A  single farm enterprise application is required to be lodged every three (3) years to  ensure that  information supplied is current and correct.

Council must be notified of any relevant changes in circumstances that would affect the treatment of this land as a single farm enterprise (eg purchase or sale of property).  Any failure to do so is an offence under the Act.

Single Farm Enterprise  Application Form

Enquiries

For further information regarding rates, including payment difficulties, please contact Council's Rates Administrator on 8842 6400 opt 4 or email rates@cgvc.sa.gov.au