Tuesday 15 June
Council Workshop to discuss the results of the Community Consultation.
The Annual Business Plan outlines the services Council will provide to the community and how it will pay for these services. The Plan also provides a summary of how your rates will be levied for 2021-2022.
Council aims to deliver a well-managed and sustainable City environment to residents and ratepayers, for current and future generations.
At the Council Meeting on 29 June 2021, Council endorsed and adopted the Annual Business Plan 2021-2022, inclusive of the budget, long term financialplan and rating strategy with minor amendments. See the Council Minutes - 29 06 2021 under Key Documents for details.
What's It All About?
The Annual Business Plan is a key element of the Council’s overall planning framework. It describes how the Council will put into operation the strategic vision of the Council and our day-to-day work to ensure the City is well run and the community receives quality services.
The focus of the $32.3 million draft Plan is upon the provision of a range of projects to maintain and improve our City infrastructure while carefully managing Council’s financial sustainability.
The draft Plan is funded by Council’s equal lowest rate increase in 20+ years. The average rates increase is projected to be an increase of 1.9%, on average $37more than the current year.
Highlights of the Budget
Whilst the focus will be to continue to implement Council’s annual asset renewal program (roads, footpaths, kerb and gutters, stormwater), the 2021-2022 Draft Annual Business Plan and Budget includes the following major investments:
Economic Stimulus Projects:--In response to the COVID19 global pandemic and the subsequent economic downturn, both the State and Federal Governments have a number of stimulus grant programmes available. Council has made application to some of these programmes for 4 separate projects. At the same time, Council has made provision within the Draft Annual Business Plan 2021-2022 to contribute $4.5M of matched funding towards a combination of these projects (not all projects are expected to be successful). The projects with applications being made are as follow, projects will only proceed if the associated grant application is successful:
Open Space Upgrades:--Irish Harp Reserve - Council has allocated $325k in the draft Budget for the upgrade of Irish Harp Reserve. This upgrade will provide a usable and functional reserve to the local community with safety upgrades achieved with improved lighting, irrigation and access.
Series of Events:--Following a successful events season in 2020-2021, the ‘Series of Events’ is planned to be back for 2021-2022, continuing to provide flexible events in a COVID safe manner. Successful Community Events in 2020-2021 included Prospect Art Walk, Teddy Bear Picnic, Festive Streets, Outdoor Cinemas and 4 weeks of Prospect Fringe. In 2021-2022 we will see many of the favourites return.
Capital Works Program:--In addition to the $4.5M of Stimulus projects outlined above, approximately $5.9M of Capital Expenditure has been included in the draft Annual Business Plan 2021-2022.
Have Your Say!
Members of the community were invited to have their say on the Draft Annual Business Plan 2021-2022 during our public consultation from 17 May to 7 June 2021.
Results were presented to Council for consideration at the June 2021 Council Meeting.
Tuesday 15 June
Council Workshop to discuss the results of the Community Consultation.
Tuesday 29 June
Final Council decision.
Tuesday 11 May - Special Council Meeting
Council endorse the draft Annual Business Plan and Budget 2021-2022 and the Draft Rating Strategy ready for Community Consultation.
Monday 17 May
We are currently seeking feedback from our community on our draft Annual Business Plan 2021-2022.
Thursday 3 June
Opportunity for residents to ask questions of key Council staff.
Check out What's On - right of this page to find more details.
Registration is essential to receive the ZOOM weblink and join the webinar.
Monday 7 June
Opportunity to talk to key council staff and discuss the draft Annual Business Plan.
No need to book, just drop in.
Monday 7 June - 11:59pm
Closing date for public consultation submissions.
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In South Australia, Council rates are a form of taxation on property values and are a requirement under state legislation.
Money raised through rates assists Council provide the Prospect community with a wide range of services. These include existing ongoing, core services such as keeping our streets clean, rubbish removal, running immunisation clinics, operating libraries and community programs, as well as renewing, replacing and building new assets such as footpaths, roads and sporting grounds.
We see the benefits of Council services everyday through cleaner streets, safer roads, services to support you and your family, places to play and places to meet.
Yes.
The City of Prospect Annual Business Plan and Budget is based on an average rate increase of 1.9 per cent. This equates to an additional $37 per year, or 71 cents per week, based on the average capital value of a home in Prospect of $416,076.
Each year Council undertakes a zero-based budgeting process in order to ensure that it understands the costs it will experience in order to deliver all of its services it intends to deliver.
Council’s Long Term Financial Plan originally forecast a required increase of 2.3%, however, cuts were made to the budget in order to reduce the increase to 1.9%. Any further shortfall would most likely lead to a reduction of service levels and an inability for Council to match Federal and State Government grants in order to stimulate the local economy post COVID19.
No, valuations do not determine the rates income of a Council. Property valuations are used to divide the rate revenue amount among individual ratepayers.
Council reviews the total of the valuation data that it receives from the Valuer General, then adjusts the rate in the dollar annually to make sure that it only raises rates to match the income required.
Each year the Valuer General provides agencies such as Council’s with a valuation as at 1 January. This is normally generated by applying an indexation to the previous year’s Capital Value based on local indices such as local property sales. In preparation for 2021-2022, the Valuer General has undertaken a detailed review of all property valuations across the whole metropolitan area. Known as the Revaluation Initiative, the project attempts to reset all values to a more accurate valuation by reviewing each property individually. More information on the Revaluation Initiative from: https://dpti.sa.gov.au/land/ovg/resources/what_is_the_revaluation_initiative
Yes - there are avenues of appeal available to ratepayers. These are located on the back of the Rates Notice which you receive in the mail and are also summarised below:
Appeals against the valuation of a property must be made through the Valuer General in the State Valuation Office within 60 days after the date of service of the Rates Notice.
Below are the contact details:
Address: The State Valuation Office 101 Grenfell Street, ADELAIDE SA 5000
Mail: GPO Box 1354, ADELAIDE SA 5001
Email: lsgobjections@.sa.gov.au
General/Objection Enquiries: 1300 653 346
A ratepayer may object to the land use applied to their property within 60 days of notification. The appeal must be made in writing to Council, addressed to the Chief Executive Officer.
The appeal must set out the basis for objection and details of the land use that should be applied. Council will review the objection and notify the ratepayer of its decision. If not satisfied, the ratepayer may appeal against the Council decision to the Land and Valuation Court.
The Regional Landscape Levy is a replacement for the Natural Resource Management Levy (NRM).
City of Prospect is in the Green Adelaide Management Board area and is required to collect the Levy on behalf of the Board. Green Adelaide set an annual levy that Councils is legislated to collect and is passed on in-full to the Board.
The Board uses the Levy to fund vital natural resource management projects including the managing and protecting priority water, land, marine and biodiversity assets.
More information about Green Adelaide and their projects can be found at www.environment.sa.gov.au/topics/green-adelaide
The 2021-2022 Draft Rating Policy Policy can be found on the City of Prospect on this engagement hub. The document outlines how the City of Prospect proposes to set its rates. More detailed explanations are contained within Part D – Rating Strategy and Structure of the Draft Annual Business Plan 2021-2022.
In 2014, the State Government introduced a new concession called ‘Cost of Living Concession’ (CLC) which replaces the previous Pensioner Concession for Council Rates. The concession is paid directly to you instead of being offset against your rates account.
Homeowners entitled to receive the concession in the 2021-2022 year can apply by contacting the Concession Hotline on 1800 307 758.
Tenants entitled to receive the concession in the 2021-2022 year can apply by contacting the Concession Hotline on 1800 307 758.
For eligibility enquiries please call the Concession Hotline on 1800 307 758.
The Local Government Act provides for the postponement of rates for seniors. It is a system designed to assist senior citizens by allowing them to postpone amounts over $500 of their annual rates charge for an indefinite period (up until the property is sold or circumstances change).
Seniors postponement is available to a person (or their spouse) who holds a Seniors Card issued by the State Government and is only available on the principal place of residence.
The payment options are set out on the front and back of the Rates Notice and include the following payment methods:
Via Council’s website at www.prospect.sa.gov.au
BPay
In person at Australia Post
In person at Customer Service Centres – EFTPOS, Master Card, or Visa Card (Cash is not currently being accepted due to the COVID19 pandemic)
Over the phone with Councils Customer Service Officers on 1300 278 903
By direct debit. Set up direct debit payments by visiting Councils website www.prospect.sa.gov.au and completing the application form to pay your rates fortnightly, quarterly or annually.
If the amount due remains unpaid after the due date it will be subject to fines raised in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government Act 1999, Sect 181(8).
A statutory fine of 2% on the unpaid quarterly amount and a further interest penalty of the prescribed percentage on any further arrears monthly will apply.
If you experience ongoing financial difficulty you can speak with a Council Rates Officer to make suitable arrangements for payment of overdue amounts.
Any feedback provides as part of the Annual Business Plan review process is collated and reported back to Council- so that we can have a very clear understanding of the issues and topics that are most pertinent to our residents. If we need to make an amendments to what has been proposed, this will be done by a Council decision.
We want to know if you think we are focusing on the right things, and if there are things we need to do more of. You can complete the survey online, the quick poll about biobags, write us a letter, send us an email, or attend our webinar. We will also be running drop-in sessions at various times in the coming weeks to answer any questions you may have.
This year we will be encouraging more smaller and community event activities that lead to increased use of our wonderful outdoor spaces. We encourage residents and visitors to have a say in how City of Prospect places are imagined, shaped and transformed. Our placemaking approach helps us to ensure strong community, economic and environmental benefits are derived from our places and spaces.
We know that heritage management and the protection of heritage buildings is a priority for our community. We have many heritage assets that contribute to our local identity. We play an important part in the protection and conservation of our heritage and making heritage spaces available for everyone to enjoy.
We are working to make City of Prospect a low carbon, water sensitive and climate resilient City. During the coming year we are going to accelerate our actions to adapt to climate change and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. We also want to collaborate with the community to empower individuals to work with us on our climate response.
Regardless of where you live in the City of Prospect, you’ll see us out and about maintaining and upgrading facilities, streets and parks. Taking care of our city is part of our core business. Check out our Annual Business Plan and Budget for all of the details.
We will continue to support existing businesses in City of Prospect and encourage new businesses to chose our City as a base, and take advantage of opportunities. We will work to secure local content and jobs, and create opportunities for the growth of green industries.
The document contains a summary of the information we have received back from our community as part of our surveys. It outlines the external opportunities and challenges we have identified, and then lists the new major projects we have set as priorities for 2021-2022. There is also detailed financial information about how we will use our funds to complete these works, and ensure financial accountability.
Our Annual Business Plan and Budget is our roadmap for the year ahead. It contains our commitment to deliver great outcomes our community the coming financial year. It sets out our priorities for the coming year and outlines the costs associated with the key projects we want to deliver.
City of Prospect acknowledges that we are on the traditional country of the Kaurna people
of the Adelaide Plains region, and we pay our respect to Elders past and present.
We recognise and respect their cultural heritage, beliefs and relationships with the land
and we acknowledge that they are of continuing importance to the Kaurna people living today.