Rates

Your rates assist us to maintain important community infrastructure and deliver services including our recreational facilities, road network, libraries, pools and much more.

Pay Your Rates

Rates and water payments can be made by:

  • eServices - Online payments are available for rates, water and debtor invoices;
  • BPAY - Contact your participating bank, credit union or building society to make payments directly from your cheque or savings account. You will be required to enter the Biller Code and BPAY reference number;
  • Mail - Detach payment slip from rate or water notice and mail to Lachlan Shire Council, PO Box 216, Condobolin NSW 2877. Please make cheques payable to Lachlan Shire Council; and
  • In Person - Payments may be made at:
          Condobolin Office - 58-64 Molong Street, Condobolin NSW 2877
          Lake Cargelligo Office - 35A Foster Street, Lake Cargelligo NSW 2672
          Tottenham Post Office - 69 Umang Street, Tottenham NSW 2873

Emailed Rates and Water Notices

Property owners in the Lachlan Shire area can register an email address and 'Opt In' to receive their rates and water notices electronically.

This service will provide a faster, more reliable, and environmentally friendly alternative to paper copies and registering is simple.

By opting in for electronic delivery of information:

  • You will now receive your rates and water notices as an PDF to your nominated email address.
  • You will no longer receive a physical copy by regular post.

Opt-In

  • You will need a copy of your rates and water notice to enter details to verify the property details
  • Fill in the online form below.
  • You will receive a confirmation email to verify your email address. You will need to follow the link in the email to complete your registration.
  • You will need to fill out this form for each property that is owned in the Lachlan Shire.

To register to receive your rates and water notice emailed click here.

Pensioner Rebate

If you hold a Pensioner Concession card or Veterans Gold Card (stamped with Total and Permanent Incapacitation (TPI) or Extreme Disablement Adjustment (EDA), and own and reside in the rated property, then you may be eligible for a rebate on your general rates, as well as your water, sewerage and domestic waste management charges.

 

This rebate may be automatically applied and will be reflected on your notice. Pensioner rebates are applied to rates and charges on eligible properties at the time of levying the rate in July of each year. Additional adjustments are processed throughout the year.

 

Currently the full pensioner rebate (100% eligibility per annum) is $425.00. This includes a rebate off ordinary rates, charges and consumption and is broken down as follows:
  • An annual rebate of $250.00 off the ordinary rate is applied to residential or farmland rated properties (includes garbage charges). 
  • Where service charges are applicable, a rebate of $87.50 is available off the sewer access charge.
  • Where service charges are applicable, a rebate of $87.50 is available off the water access charge.
  • As the full rebate of $87.50 is received off the water access charge, there is no longer a reduction available for water consumption.
Eligibility
To be eligible for a pension reduction on rates and charges:
  • The applicant must be the holder of a Pensioner Concession card or Veteran Gold Card (stamped with Total and Permanent Incapacitation (TPI) or Extreme Disablement Adjustment (EDA). Further criteria may apply for War Widows (Pension Concession card required - please contact the Department of Veterans' Affairs for pension card eligibility). Note: Seniors Card or Health Care cards are not sufficient. 
  • The applicant must be the owner, part owner or life tenant of the property (proof of life tenancy under a Will must be provided).
  • The property must be the applicant's principal place of residency as shown on their concession card. 
  • The applicant must be living on the property prior to the commencement of the rate instalment billing period fall as follows: 
               1 September to 30 November
               1 December to 28 February
               1 March to 31 May
               1 June to 31 August

 

A Pensioner Rebate Application form can be posted to Lachlan Shire Council. A copy of the front and back of concession card(s) must be included.

 

Eligible pensioner rebates can be backdated if applications have been received prior to 30 June of the current financial year. However, as of 1 July for a new financial year, pensioner rebates are generally not backdated unless an error in the calculation has been made.

 

Should there be a change in your pension or place of residence, please notify Council immediately. For inquiries regarding pensioner rebates, please contact Council on 02 6895 1900.

 

A pensioner concession application can be made by completing this form - Pensioner Concession Rates Rebate

Council Rates

Why do you pay rates?
Rates are an important part of how we look after each other. Everyone who owns land in our local government area pays rates. Lachlan Shire Council then uses those rates to fund essential services for our community including;
 
  • Roads, bridges, footpaths, drainage and flood mitigation
  • Parks, public conveniences, cemeteries, pools and sporting facilities
  • Libraries, community centres, halls, culture and entertainment venues
  • Planning, building, animal, health and public order controls
  • Contributions to NSW Fire Brigade, Rural Fire Service, State Emergency Services and community groups
  • Aged, youth and child services
  • Tourism, events and economic development
  • Environmental services
  • Water and sewer services.

How does Council calculate rates and charges?

Council is required to determine the combination of rates, charges, fees and pricing policies needed to fund the services it provides to the community by producing a revenue policy which contains a rating structure that determines which rates and charges you will have to pay and how they will be calculated.

 

To calculate the ordinary rates to be paid for each property, Council uses the following method:
  • Base amount + (individual unimproved land value x ad valorem rate) = rates charge ($)
This calculation method brings the higher and lower values closer together, effectively spreading the rate burden more evenly among all ratepayers.
 
The total amount of income that Council can raise from certain rates and charges is limited. This is called rate peg percentage.
The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) determines the annual rate peg percentage.

 

The land value is determined by the Land and Property Information Division of the Department of Finance and Services on behalf of the NSW Valuer General. If you do not agree with the land value of your property you can request a review by the Valuer General either online or by calling 1800 110 038.

 

When do i pay my rates?

Rates are calculated from 1 July to 30 June each year, and broken down into four instalments;
  • 1st instalment – 31 August 
  • 2nd instalment – 30 November
  • 3rd instalment – 28 February
  • 4th instalment – 31 May
You will receive your rate notice approximately four weeks prior to the due date. Interest is charged on any overdue amount.
 
If you are making a single payment for the full years rates and charges, the payment is due on or before 31 August.
 
For more information please contact Lachlan Shire Council on 02 6895 1900. 

Land Valuations

Land values assigned for rating purposes are supplied to Council by the Valuer General's Office and are made every three years. If you do not agree with the valuation of your land, you must direct any objections to the Valuer General's Office. Whether or not an objection is pending, the rates levied must be paid by the due date indicated on the front of your rates notice.
 
For more information please visit the website of the Valuer General's Office

 

For all inquiries relating to your rates, call us on 02 6895 1900.

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