Federation Council's 2025/26 Rating Structure – Have Your Say!

Federation Council is seeking your feedback on proposed rating structure options for the 2025/26 financial year. This is your opportunity to understand how rates are determined and influence how the total rate income will be collected across all assessable land in the Federation Council area.

Residents, businesses and farmers are encouraged to review the discussion paper and provide their feedback on how Council collects rates across all property owners.

Council has received approval from the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) to apply a maximum increase of 19% to the total rate income for 2025/26. This discussion paper outlines four options for applying this increase, focusing on varying base rates, and their potential impact on different properties.  

Why your feedback matters: Your input is crucial in helping Council make an informed decision on the rating structure that best serves our community. We encourage you to review the options and provide your preferred option for Council to consider when making their decision on the rating structure for 2025/26.

Key Documents & Tools:

• View the Discussion Paper - Rating Structure 2025/26:(PDF, 1MB) This discussion paper provides detailed information on relevant legislative requirements, factors considered when setting rates, and four potential rating structure options.

• Complete the online General Rate Estimator: Use this easy-to-use tool to estimate how each of the rating options might affect your specific property. Simply enter your property land valuation and choose your property type to get a personalised estimate.

Understanding the Options: The discussion paper outlines four options (Option A, B, C, and D) for the 2025/26 rating structure. These options differ primarily in the balance between the 'base amount' (a set amount applied equally to all properties - refer to Rating Structure 2025/26 Page 5 for more information on base rates) and the 'ad valorem' amount (the amount of rates charged to properties, based on the value of your land, expressed as cents in the dollar). In 2024/25 the base rate was $425.

• Option A: Increases both the base rate and the ad valorem amount by 19%.

• Option B: Increases the base rate by the rate peg (+4.80%) and the ad valorem by 24.31%.

• Option C: Maintains the current base rate (0.00%) and increases the ad valorem by 26.07%.

• Option D: Decreases the current base rate by 10% (-10.00%) and increases the ad valorem by 29.74%.

Under each of the options, the total amount of rates collected by Council will be the same.

Lowering the base rate generally means properties with higher land values will pay a larger share of the total rates, while increasing the base rate can lessen the burden on higher-valued properties. 

Council's application to IPART was on the basis that the 19% increase would be applied equally to the base rate and the ad valorem, Option A.

How to provide your feedback:

The public engagement period runs for 28 days, starting Friday, May 30, and ending on Friday, June 27, 2025.

• Online Submission: Complete our online submission form here. 

• Written Submission: Email: council@federationcouncil.nsw.gov.au or Mail: The General Manager, Federation Council, PO Box 77, Corowa NSW 2646

All submissions must be received by COB Friday, June 27, 2025. Ratepayers are also invited to Book a one-on-one meeting with Council’s Chief Financial Officer to discuss the rating structure options. Call (02) 6033 8999 to arrange a meeting between Friday, May 30 and Friday, June 27, 2025. 

For further information or assistance, please contact Council on (02) 6033 8999 during business hours.