Hi all
These are some issues I went through with the Upper Hunter Shire amalgamation in 2004:-
Base Amounts or minimums – For an amalgamated Council you cannot have base rates and minimums in the same rating category, but check the exact details with the Office of Local Government. This was not an issue for Upper Hunter Shire as the decision was made to have all minimum rates and not base amounts. Sections 497, 498, 499, 548 LGA 1993.
Land values with different base dates – Upper Hunter Shire Council consisted of 3 former Councils with valuations on different base dates.
I contacted the Department of Local Government and was advised that for the first year of the amalgamation we could have 3 different rates in the dollar and minimums for each sub category provided that we requested written permission from the Department to do so and we had a written undertaking from the Valuer General to provide a new GVal for the amalgamated Council for the second year. Section 498 (3) LGA 1993.
Regards Ken.
