Council is currently looking at differential rating. We have a session on it tonight. It means different land uses could be rated differently. So industry might get a different rate to residential.

Some councils do it some don’t. Up until now we have had one rate for all. Lasts years erratic rates for some sectors made us realise that the “one size fits all” way of doing rates has it’s deficiencies.

I guess tonight will bring some clarity on a way ahead.

1. Keith Parker Says:
   July 7th, 2010 at 1:34 pm

   Tim, Agree that the current rating system has to change. My wife and I live on a small farm at the end of Daws Road (off nook Road). Since we have built our house and added facilities, we’ve seen our rates increase to $2,500 per year. We don’t receive water, we take care of our own sanitation, we have no rubbish collection and to add insult to injury, Daws Road was one of the small roads that the Kentish Council has decided to not maintain. We can’t maintain it as It’s not our road and there will be legal issue if we do anything to the road. The comment from the Council is that you have the amenities of the town! Although we still would rather live here than any other place in Australia, we have certainly slipped in the fairness issues regarding rates. When you see other areas such as Devonport complaining when they pay half the rates that we do but get full service, it rankles. Would look forward to any constructive suggestions on this issue.

   Regards

   Keith Parker