Council endorsed the Special Rate and Charge Policy at the 21 July 2026 meeting.

This Policy has been drafted in accordance with best practice that will guide how Council facilitates such requests if and when they arise.

The draft Policy was shared for community comment and feedback from 19 November to 14 December 2025.

A total of seven responses to the online form were received, along with one letter during the engagement period.

Further information is available in the Engagement Summary Report or by viewing the Council meeting here.

Overview

Council has developed a Special Rate and Charge Policy to provide a clear and transparent framework for how special rates or charges could be considered in the future.

This Policy will assist our decision-making and provide guidance to Council officers for any future requests from community, businesses or trader groups.

The Local Government Act 2020 enables councils to levy a Special Rate or a Special Charge (or a combination of these) to help pay for any council service or any activity that will be of special benefit to a particular group of property owners.

What is a special rate or charge?

A special rate or charge is a contribution that Council may collect from property owners to help fund a specific project or service that provides a direct benefit to those properties.

Any proposal for a special rate or charge must follow the requirements of the Local Government Act 1989 (Vic) which includes public consultation and the opportunity for affected property owners to make submissions.

Proposals for special rate and charge contributions can be initiated by Council, business precincts, community groups or others within the municipality.