Council Update

This is a copy of the weekly Conversation with the GM and Council News as published in the Blayney Chronicle. 

A Conversation with the GM

Land Valuations

If you are a landholder in the Blayney Shire you will soon receive by mail/email a Notice of Valuation from the NSW Valuer General. There is a statutory requirement for the Valuer General to issue notices of valuation.

The values, together with interactive land value summaries for each local government area will soon be publicly available on the Valuer General’s website: www.valuergeneral.nsw.gov.au. 

If you haven’t received your notice by 28 February 2023 please contact the Valuer General online https://www.valuergeneral.nsw.gov.au/contact_us or telephone 1800 110 038. 

The Valuer General provides Councils with new land valuations every three years, and this is used as the basis for the calculation and distribution of Council rates. 

If your land value increases, it doesn’t necessarily mean your rates will rise. Any changes are directly dependent on the movement in valuations of each rate category and the rate peg. 

The Rate peg is set by the NSW Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) and is the maximum percentage Councils can raise its rates revenue by. For 2023/24 IPART has set the rate peg at 3.7% and this is despite inflation currently being 7.8%, which like for all other businesses and families is starting to significantly impact Council’s budget and financial sustainability. 

The NSW Valuer General details the method for undertaking the valuation, which is called a mass valuation. Similar properties are grouped and benchmark properties, which represent most in the group, are selected as reference values. 

Independent Valuers then analyse property sales, including vacant land and improved properties. Sale prices are adjusted to; remove the value of improvements and reflect the property market as at 1 July in the valuing year. 

Primary benchmark properties are individually valued to calculate the rate of change from last year, which considers factors such as the land’s; most valuable use, land use zoning, known constraints, size, shape and features, location and views and any nearby development and infrastructure.

If you have questions or concerns about your land value or property information, you can contact the NSW Valuer General’s office and order an information kit. This kit includes a valuation sales report, review guide and objection form. You can register online to receive a kit by email or receive a kit by post. 

You have 60 days to lodge an objection and ask to review the land value or property information on your Notice of Valuation or land tax assessment. The last date to object is documented on your valuation notice. The information kit outlines grounds for objection and include if:

• your land value is too high or too low
• the area, dimensions or description of the land are wrong
• the valuations are incorrectly apportioned
• the valuation should have valued the land separately
• the valuation should have valued the land with other land
• concessions or allowances are wrong or missing
• the person on the Notice of Valuation does not own, lease or occupy the land.

For further assistance contact the Valuer General using the contact details shown above.    

 

Council Update

Request for Quotation – Construction of Three Separate Carparks at King George Oval

Contract No. RFQ 16/2022
Quotations are invited from suitably qualified and experienced contractors for the construction of three carparks at King George Oval Carcoar Street, Blayney.

Documentation may be obtained from Council’s e-tendering website: www.vendorpanel.com.au/blayney/tenders

Closing time: 17/02/2023 (COB 5PM)

The lowest or any quotation will not necessarily be accepted by Council.

For all Quotation enquiries, contact Mr Tony Weekes, telephone (02) 6368 2104.

Youth Week Funding

Community organisations are invited to make application for funding to hold activities for Youth Week under the 2023 Youth Week Small Grants Program.

Youth Week 2023 will be celebrated from 20 to 30 April 2023 and focuses on the issues and concerns of local young people and targets those aged from 12 to 24 years. The theme for Youth Week 2023 is “Connect, Participate, Celebrate.”

Grants available are in the amount of $700 to $1,200 and funding allocated will be dependent on the number of applications received. Consideration for larger grants will be given for worthy activities.   

Applications close Monday 6 March 2023 and application forms are available here or by contacting Council on 6368 2104.

Positions Vacant

Council currently has the following positions available:

• Parks and Recreation Operators (20230001)
• Casual Parks and Recreation Operators (20230001)

Please refer here for an Information Package and details on how to apply for these positions.

 

Community Financial Assistance Program Round 2 – 2022/23

Applications for the second round under the 2022/23 Community Financial Assistance Program are open. 

Local community organisations / individuals are invited to submit an application by 27 February 2023. Applications lodged before 20 February 2023 will be reviewed and applicants will be conducted in the event of any errors or omissions in applications.

There are four categories of financial assistance:

1. Recurrent financial assistance
2. Non-recurrent financial assistance (excluding private industry community funding)
3. Sporting related financial assistance
4. Special project financial assistance

Applicants are required to obtain a copy of the guidelines and complete the application form. 

Council will not consider requests for financial support (cash or in-kind) outside of this program. 

Guidelines and application forms are available here or from Council’s office.

 

Service NSW Mobile Service Centre Visit

The Service NSW Mobile Service Centre is visiting Blayney today Thursday 2 February 2023.

The Mobile Centre will be located in the carpark at the rear of the Blayney Shire Community Centre from 9.00am to 3.00pm.

This Mobile Service delivers access to essential NSW Government services, including:

• Driver licences, proof of identity documents and Photo Card applications
• Driver Knowledge Tests
• Working With Children Checks
• NDIS Worker Check
• Applying for birth, death and marriage certificates
• Stay NSW and Parents NSW voucher applications
• Access more than 70 NSW Government rebates and savings.

For more information, please visit www.service.nsw.gov.au/msc