Hilltops Council is set to slug Harden ratepayers $226,500 over the next ten years with a report prepared for Councillors on Wednesday night.
The report states, “The levy is capped in the legislation at $25 per property for residential properties and an optional $25 per 350sqm for commercial land. Council is advised to charge the flat $25 per residential and commercial property in the Harden Murrumburrah to be in line with the charge already place in Young. The Stormwater Levy is restricted to business or residential rated properties within the urban (or non-rural) area of Harden Murrumburrah. Land in rural areas (including rural residential) are excluded from the charge. Public land, vacant land or land belonging to charities is also excluded. The levy is expected to raise around $226,500 over the fixed ten-year period or $22,650 per year based on the current 906 assessments that the levy applies to. These additional funds will supplement revenue and possible grant income and will be allocated to projects through the adopted Delivery and Operating plans over the next 5 years extending to the ten-year extent in time. The revenue raised from the stormwater levy will assist Council to cover costs to implement projects where primary stormwater is entering property in an uncontrolled manner. Eventually works project will embrace the main town drainage line below the Public School to Coddington Park along Murrimboola Creek where major erosion and step embankments current exist impacting on water quality and private property.”
The business paper states, “The plan shows the $22,650 income per year commencing in 2020/21 when funds are effectively available plus supplemented revenue funds at the current long-term forecast levels of about $10,000 to $12,000 per year.
It is envisaged that the adopted levy works plan be put out to Public consultation for the nominal 28 day public exhibition period, with a further report to Council in relation to the feedback from that period.