Cardinia Shire Council has made a minor adjustment to its 2025–26 property rates to stay within the State’s 3 per cent rate cap, following updated valuations from the Valuer General of Victoria.
The changes were endorsed at the 21 July council meeting, with all councillors voting in favour.
The adjustment comes after supplementary property valuations were received after the 2025–26 Budget was adopted but before the end of the financial year. These valuations slightly lowered the total capital improved value (CIV) of rateable properties, prompting a revised calculation of the “rate in the dollar” to prevent overcharging ratepayers.
Without the adjustment, council would have exceeded the cap with a 3.02 per cent rate rise. The correction brings the increase in line with the 3 per cent limit, averaging a reduction of 38 cents per property.
Cr Alanna Pomeroy said the change was necessary to stay compliant.
“This one once again is procedural in nature. It is important that we formally and transparently acknowledge and affect this adjustment,” Cr Pomeroy said.
“If not adjusted, the 2025-26 rating procedure would result in council charging an overall rate increase of 3.02 percent which is above the three percent rate cap approved for 25-26. This change represents an approximate 38 cent reduction per assessment on average.”
Cr Casey Thomsen noted the adjustment had no financial impact on the council’s bottom line.
“This change came in after we adopted the budget so we have to as mentioned procedurally go through this in the chamber as we speak now to pass this through,” Cr Thomsen said.
“It’s also worth knowing that the impact of these proposed changes has no overall financial impact on the adopted 25-26 budget.”
The rate in the dollar for each property category in the 2025–26 financial year has been set as follows:
– Base rate: 0.0021648
– Farm land: 0.0016236
– Urban Industrial and Commercial Land: 0.0031391
– Urban Farm Land: 0.0018396
– Urban Residential Land: 0.0023158
– Urban Vacant Land: 0.0043296
– Cultural and Recreational Land: 0.0016236
Officers will consider amending the processes regarding the processing of supplementary valuations in future years to ensure ongoing accuracy and transparency and to ensure such instances are mitigated so close to the end of the financial year.
