THREE Wimmera councils’ rate increases for 2015-16 were among the highest in the state.
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A Municipal Association of Victoria local government rates survey shows Hindmarsh, Buloke and West Wimmera councils had among the top 11 highest rate increases by percentage from 2014-15 to 2015-16.
Hindmarsh Shire Council – ranked eighth by percentage increase – upped rates by an average of $88 a household, or 6.12 per cent.
Buloke Shire Council, also in the top 10, increased rates by 5.68 per cent – $105.
West Wimmera Shire Council – ranked 11th on percentage – increased rates by an average of $75 a household, or 5.53 per cent.
Click on the local government areas below to see their rate changes
Ararat Rural City Council had among the lowest rate increases by percentage of the Wimmera councils, but its average rates, municipal charge and waste management charge was the region’s highest at $2062 a household.
By comparison, West Wimmera was the region’s lowest on average at $1357.
Ararat’s percentage increase was 4.56 per cent, about $94 a household on average.
Northern Grampians Shire Council upped rates by 4.91 per cent, an average of $80 a rate payer.
Horsham Rural City Council’s average percentage increase was 4.72, or $88.
Yarriambiack Shire Council had the lowest increase of any Wimmera council at 4.55 per cent. This equates to about $72 a household more from 2014-15 to 2015-16.
Murrindindi council increased its rates by the biggest percentage of any Victorian council, by 8.19 per cent.
The City of Melbourne was at the other end of the spectrum, with a 0.87 per cent rate decrease.
The average rate rise across the state was 3.82 per cent, or $67.
Of the 79 councils in the survey, only seven increased rates by less than the Consumer Price Index.
Most were in or near Melbourne.
This financial year will be the final time council's can set their own rate rise, with the state government implementing rate capping to match inflation from 2016-17.
The government can permit councils to charge above inflation, but councils must justify their reasons and be granted approval from Victorian Local Government Minister Natalie Hutchins.
