Published on Thursday, 11 August 2016 at 12:00:00 AM

We have received new annual valuations for farmlands within the Shire of Dowerin.

Consistent with our commitment to good customer service and communication the Shire has resolved to contact those property owners that have been impacted by the revaluation with a view to explaining how those valuations are calculated. This year the revaluation has thrown out some anomalies in that some properties have been increased by a significant percentage and others have been decreased by similar percentages resulting in a very minor difference in the total valuations for the Shire.

This has brought about the situation where some properties will have a percentage increase in their valuation and therefore an increase in Rates payable and others will have a decrease in their valuation and therefore a decrease in Rates payable. Overall there has not been a major difference in the total valuations and therefore no major difference in the total amount of Rates to be collected by the Council apart from the 4% increase in the Rate as determined by Council as part of the annual budget. Please find information below regarding the Legislation and procedures involved in setting values.

Should you wish to discuss this issue or any other rating queries please contact the Shire’s rates officer Mr Domenico Bono who is available in the Shire Administration Office Tuesday to Thursday.

Legislation and procedures involved in setting values for rating and taxing authorities

Preamble

In accordance with the provisions of the State Government Valuation of Land Act 1978 (the Act) the Valuer General is required to maintain valuation rolls of rateable and taxable land throughout Western Australia. These rolls are periodically provided to rating and taxing authorities and form the basis for the calculation of rates and some other taxes.

Agricultural farmlands are for the most part valued using the Unimproved Valuation (UV) methodology. A new unimproved value (UV) is determined each year for all land within the State and comes into force on the 30th June.

UV is defined in the Valuation of Land Act 1978 and in some cases it is a State Legislative statutory formula.

As a broad guide the following applies:

Within a Townsite

For land situated within a townsite the UV is the site value of the land. In general, this means the value of the land as if it were vacant with no improvements except merged improvements. Merged improvements relate to improvements such as clearing, draining and filling.

Outside a Townsite

The UV of land outside a townsite is valued as if it had no improvements. In this case the land is valued as though it remains in its original, natural state, although any land degradation is taken into account.

If the UV cannot reasonably be determined on this basis, it is calculated as a percentage of the value of the land as if it had been developed to a fair district standard but not including buildings. This percentage is prescribed (where it applies) by the Valuer General from year to year and is currently 50 per cent.

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