At its Ordinary Meeting on 20 September 2022, Council revised the area of the Narrandera Residential and Business rate subcategories that will apply from July 2023.

Rating subcategories may be created around “a centre of population” within the Residential category and “a centre of activity” within the Business category. The Narrandera rate subcategory boundaries were introduced approximately 25 years ago following the commencement of the Local Government Act 1993 and there has been minimal change to the boundary since then. This revision expands the area identified as benefiting from Narrandera services and adjusts distribution of the rates amongst those assessments.

The area has been extended to reflect growth that has occurred in the past 25 years, along with subdivisions proposed for further expansion. The change does not yield any additional income to Council but reallocates the levying of the existing rate.

The expanded area will see the Narrandera Residential subcategory increase by 257 assessments to 1994, and the Narrandera Business subcategory increase by 40 assessments to 248. Driving the expansion of the existing centre of population and activity are the following factors:

• East - the ongoing subdivision and increased density of residential development in the Pine Hill area.
• Northeast - the Red Hill industrial estate is now sold out and further subdivision activity is anticipated to provide commercial land stock in this area.
• Northwest – two residential subdivisions will see the recategorisation of land from Farmland to Residential.
• West – subdivision and increased residential density along Irrigation Way to the Nallabooma residential estate.
• Southwest/Gillenbah – extension of the sewer network allowing an increased density in development.

It was recognised that high-value properties currently paying the Ordinary rate at 67% of the Narrandera rate may be impacted when combined with the Narrandera assessments. To minimise this, the expanded area was modelled using both the Minimum rate and Base rate methods. As a result of this modelling, Council resolved that:

• Narrandera Residential rates will move to a Base rate method with a 40% base component.
• Narrandera Business rates will retain the Minimum rate method with a minimum rate of $570.

The revised rating methodologies will commence in July 2023 to coincide with the expanded subcategory boundaries.

Council will contact affected ratepayers to indicate the estimated increase or decrease in their rates when compared to the current rate levy. Ratepayers whose categorisation is to change will also receive a Notice of Declaration of Category from Council.