Town of Port Hedland set to slug ratepayers an extra 8 per cent on minimum residential rates for 2025-26
The rate in the dollar amount for 2025-26 is actually proposed to reduce for all categories except unimproved mining and pastoral land, to account for Landgate's valuer-general revised valuations, which have seen large increases across the board.
The rate in the dollar for residential properties for next year is proposed to sit at 4.72¢, down from 6.7¢, but giving a clearer picture of the actual hip-pocket cost, the minimum residential bill would sit at $1404, up 8 per cent, from $1300 this year.
To calculate a property's council rates bill, the rate in the dollar amount — set by the local authority — is multiplied by the property's valuation amount (gross rental value, or GRV) — set by the valuer-general. If the figure falls below the minimum rates level, you will pay the minimum charge.
As a result, while the rate has technically reduced, the overall effect still leaves ratepayers slugged a larger amount to help fill a 6.84 per cent increase in the local authority's operational expenditure for the next financial year.
For comparison, the Consumer Price Index rose by 2.4 per cent in the 12 months to April 2025.
The budget increase includes an extra $1.3 million for 'regulatory and new IT staff', $1.5m for the 'building cleaning contract', $1.4m for the 'public open space cleaning contract', just under half a million for a 'security contract' and nearly $230,000 in added insurance costs.
Offsetting those rises slightly, however, is more than $800,000 predicted to be wiped off as a result of a decrease in 'established (staff) positions, vacancy rates'.
In proposing the new rates model, council officers noted residential values had been particularly hard-hit by the new valuations.
'The new triennial revaluation of properties received from the valuer-general has seen a significant increase in residential valuations, moreso than other categories,' they told the council within the May 20 special council meeting agenda.
'The rate in the dollar charge has been adjusted accordingly to maintain as near to the current apportionment of the burden of rating across all differential categories.
The new minimum rates charge for commercial, pastoral and mass accommodation plots is proposed to be $1900, an increase of $100 a year, representing a 5.26 per cent rise on the 2024-25 amount.
Minimum 'mining' rates remain at the 2024-25 level — $250. But the rate in the dollar figure for mining has actually increased, by just over 5 per cent. The pastoral rate in the dollar follows just behind with a 4.5 per cent rise.
The proposed rates motion was carried unanimously at the council's May 20 special meeting.
Also agreed within the motion was the maintenance of the pensioner rate cap gap program, but with the financial support limited to a maximum of $200.
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