The City of Stonnington calculates your rates by multiplying two figures:
- Your property's Capital Improved Value (CIV).
- A rate in the dollar amount declared by Council.
What is the Capital Improved Value?
The CIV of a property is the value of the land plus any improvements on the land. It’s the approximate amount you could expect to be offered for the property if you put it on the market.
Who determines the Capital Improved Value?
Council valuers conduct property valuations each year. They determine the CIV used to calculate your general rate.
What is the rate in the dollar?
The rate in the dollar is an amount set by Council to fund works and services.
The 2019-20 rate in the dollar was 0.000999.
The 2020-21 rate is yet to be declared.
What’s an example of a rate calculation?
If we valued your property at $800,000 your general rates would be $799.20 based on the 2019-20 rate in the dollar.
The equation would look like this:
$800,000 (Capital Improved Value) X 0.000999 (rate in the dollar) = $799.20 (general rates).
Are there charges in addition to general rates?
Yes, you will also see on your rates notice:
Annual waste charges
We determine waste charges by the size and number of your bins and add it to your general rate.
- The 2019-20 minimum waste charge is $259.40.
- The minimum food and green waste charge is $96.00.
- Recycling bins are supplied at no charge.
Fire Services Property Levy
Since July 2013 we’ve collected the Fire Services Property Levy on behalf of the State Government - we don’t retain these funds ourselves.
The levy contributes to the cost of operating the Metropolitan Fire Brigade and it replaced the levy previously funded through insurance premiums.
You can find out more about the levy on the Fire Services Property Levy website.
You can lodge an objection with Council.
You’ll need to do this within two months of the date of the rates notice that shows the valuation you object to.
If you’re not satisfied with Council's response to your objection, or if you haven’t been contacted by Council within four months of lodging your objection, you may apply to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal to review the decision. In special cases you can appeal to the Supreme Court.
If we change the valuation, we’ll reissue your rates notice.
Even if you lodge an objection you must pay the issued rates by the due date, otherwise interest may be charged. If your objection is successful and results in a reduction in your rates, we’ll refund any over-payment.
Your rates go towards all sorts of services, infrastructure and maintenance in your community.
For every $100 of your rates we spend, this is the amount we allocate to each main area we’re responsible for:
Capital works: $35.52
That includes:
- infrastructure design and project management
- urban design
- open space master planning
- construction.
Diversity and aged services: $3.58
That includes:
- in home support
- home maintenance
- adult day activities and support assessment
- meals on wheels and ethnic meals.
Early years services: $3.93
That includes:
- maternal and child health
- family services
- childcare
- youth services.
Economic development: $5.51
That includes:
- events, arts and tourism
- Council events
- Chapel Off Chapel
- economic development (tourism and marketing).
Environment and waste: $5.76
That includes:
- parks and gardens
- playgrounds
- park lighting
- streetscape
- parks and street trees
- waste collection
- park and street furniture.
Parks and leisure: $10.07
That includes:
- golf course management
- sportsgrounds
- skate parks
- aquatic services.
Planning and amenity: $15.72
That includes:
- planning services
- community health
- building services
- local laws
- planning policy.
Property and facilities: $4.70
That includes:
- property management
- asset management
- venue management
- Council pound.
Roads and drains: $15.21
That includes:
- roads
- bridges
- drains
- traffic management
- footpaths
- parking.