We invited City of Melville electors and ratepayers to share their feedback on the Notice of Intention to Levy Differential Rates as required by the Local Government Act 1995.
Public comment period is a structured process that allows individuals to submit their opinions and feedback on proposals to the City of Melville. This process requires submitters to provide personal details to verify their identity, and confirm that they are electors or ratepayers within the City.
Key points about the public comment period:
- Invitation to participate: The community and stakeholders are invited to provide their input on various proposals.
- Submission consideration: All received submissions are reviewed and considered as part of the assessment process. However, these submissions do not obligate the City or Council to follow the suggestions or opinions provided.
- Anonymity and public reporting: When the City compiles and reports on the submissions, personal details such as names, addresses, and other identifiable information are removed unless the submitter has expressly agreed to share this information.
This process ensures the community's voice is heard, while maintaining the privacy and authenticity of each submission.
This item was presented at the June 2025 Ordinary Meeting of Council, on Tuesday 17 June.
As part of the City’s preparation for the 2025–2026 Annual Budget, the following categories and minimum payments for differential general rates were initially proposed:
The proposed rates represent a 4.5% increase in total rate revenue compared to the 2024–2025 financial year.
| Rating Category | Rate in $ | Minimum Rate |
|---|
Residential Improved/ Unimproved Land - incorporates residential, Department of Housing, strata, duplex and multi unit improved properties that are zoned for residential purposes and all vacant residential land. | 7.654765 | $1,498.97 |
Commerical Improved/ Unimproved Land - incorporates commercial, industrial, service stations, hotel/ taverns, strata storage units, hospitals and all vacant commercial land. | 9.430704 | $1,215.31 |
The objects and reasons for these differential rates were outlined in the City’s Notice of Intention and prepared in accordance with Section 6.36 of the Local Government Act 1995.
Why was a 4.5% increase proposed?
In recognition of ongoing cost of living challenges, the City worked to strike a balance between financial pressures on the community and the rising costs of delivering local services. As part of this, a 4.5% increase in overall rate revenue was proposed for 2025–2026 compared to the previous financial year.
This increase would have resulted in an average additional cost of $97.00 per household annually, or approximately $1.86 per week.
Rates collected by the City help fund a broad range of services and infrastructure projects, including:
Roads, footpaths, drainage, and streetscapes
Parks, playgrounds, reserves, and environmental programs
Waste collection and recycling
LeisureFit centres, Healthy Melville programs, and recreation planning
Libraries, cultural events, museums, and neighbourhood development initiatives.
From Wednesday, 21 May to Thursday, 12 June 2025, we invited formal submissions from the community on the proposed differential rates. 469 submissions were received with 97.8% expressing objection to the Notice of Intention to Levy Differential Rates 2025-2026.
Feedback received during this period was reviewed, and the City then lowered its recommended increase to 4%.
Differential Rates 2025-2026 Tabled Submission Report Differential Rates 2025-2026 Abridged Summary of Submissions
The City responded to community feedback by lowering its recommended increase from 4.5% to 4%.