FAQs

Rates are a tax levied on all rateable properties within the boundaries of the Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale Municipality in accordance with the Local Government Act 1995. 

The overall objective of the proposed rates in the 2022/23 Budget is to provide for the net funding requirements of the Shire’s services, activities, financing costs and the current and future capital requirements of the Shire, after taking into account all other forms of revenue. 

In Western Australia, land is valued by Landgate Valuation Services (Valuer General’s Office - a State Government agency) and those valuations are forwarded to each Local Government. 

Two types of values are calculated - Gross Rental Value (GRV) which applies to non-rural land; and Unimproved Value (UV) which generally applies to rural land.

The following are the proposed Differential General Rates and Minimum Payments for the Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale for the 2022/23 financial year, to be effective from 1 July 2022.

The Shire continues to look for ways to achieve rating equity in the Shire and this rating strategy has been designed to address funding requirements in an equitable way.

For all rating categories (except UV – Rural Residential and UV - Commercial / Industrial) the proposed rate in the dollar represents a 4.9% increase.

For UV – Rural Residential and UV - Commercial / Industrial the proposed rate in the dollar represents a 15% increase.

The proposed rates will yield $27,378,419 in net rate revenue.

Residential and Commercial Unimproved Valuation Differential Rating Categories

Approximately 800 properties of 2,453 properties within these rating categories would experience a rate reduction totaling approximately $300,000 if they were to be rated using the Gross Rental Value Methodology.

Officers recommended that a further strategy be added to the Rating Strategy document that requires Officers to conduct a “Rural Valuation Review” of properties within the Rural Residential UV and Commercial UV categories to identify properties that would benefit from a change of valuation methodology that are determined by Officers to be likely not to have another near to medium term review event forecast.

An example of properties expected to experience a near to medium term review event are likely to be in close proximity to the development fronts occurring in Byford, Cardup and Mundijong and will be required to have their valuation method reviewed upon subdivision occurring.

Please refer to our Statement of Rating Objectives and Reasons which outlines the objective for each rating category and the reason.

Submission received will be reviewed and considered by Shire officers. All submissions will be included as an attachment in a future report to Council where they will consider the draft 2022/23 Budget.

The draft 2022/23 Budget has been developed using the following principles discussed and agreed with Elected Members at budget workshops:

• Focus on long-term financial sustainability of the Shire;
• Capacity building to manage the Shire’s growth; and
• Funding the Shire’s financial requirements in an equitable way.

The draft 2022/23 Budget includes the following projects and initiatives:

• $4 million for road upgrades, including:
  • Hopkinson Road
  • Briggs Road
  • Larsen Road
  • Nettleton Road
  • Nicholson Road/Foxton Drive
  • Mundijong + King Road intersection 
  • Bishop Road 
  • Mundijong Road
  • Kingsbury Drive
• $370, 000 for our Road Reseal Program, for the following roads:
  • Holmes Road, Oakford 
  • Butcher Street,
  • Baldwin Road, Serpentine 
  • Senior Court,
  • College Court 
  • Millers Road
• $1.1 million for Facility upgrades, including:
  • Briggs Park Changeroom 
  • Briggs Pavilion Main Hall 
  • Byford Kindy
  • Landcare SJ Building 
  • Mens Shed
  • SJ Community Recreation Centre
  • Youth Service Facility
• $1.2 million transferred to Reserve Funds for future road and community projects
• Increased resourcing for tree pruning and tree maintenance
• $244,000 for playground upgrades
• $185,000 for a new public toilet at Jarrahdale Cemetery
• $110,000 to purchase a new verge slasher and ute with spraying rig for rural verge maintenance

The following projects will be delivered entirely with State Government funding:

• $9 million to progress Stage 1A of the Keirnan Park Sporting and Recreation precinct project.
• $785,000 to complete design for upgrades to Kargotich, Orton and Soldiers Roads (construction to be carried out in 2023/24)
• $800,000 for Stage 2 of Byford Skate Park