Land Revaluations

Hornsby Shire Council is required under legislation to use land values provided by the State Government Valuer General to levy rates. Every three years, the Valuer General re-values land, which may result in an increase in rates for some ratepayers and a decrease for others. The Valuer General last issued new property valuations for the Hornsby Shire Local Government Area (LGA) with a base date of 1 July 2022, and therefore these were used to calculate the rate levies, which came into effect 1 July 2023.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much additional income will Council generate from an increase in land values?
Council generates no additional income from an increase in land values. This is because the revaluation changes only the distribution of rates between properties in the Shire, based on the change in value of an individual property relative to the average change in value across all properties in the Shire.

How much have average land values changed?
The average change in land value of residential properties compared to the 1 July 2019 base date was an increase of 69%, therefore any property with an increase equal to or less than 69% received a maximum increase to their rate levy of 8.50% in the 2023/24 financial year (following Council’s application for an 8.5% SRV being approved). Any property with a land value increase of more than 69% received a minimum increase to their rate levy of 8.5% in the 2023/24 financial year.

For business and farmland properties, the average increase in land values was 45% and 80%, respectively, whereas the average increase for properties in Hornsby CBD was 27%.

What is the Special Rate Variation Increase for 2024/25?
The Independent and Pricing Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) approved Council’s application for a Special Rate Variation over four financial years, commencing with an 8.50% increase in Council’s total rates revenue for the 2023/24 financial year. Subsequent increases are 7.50% in 2024/25, 6.50% in 2025/26 and 5.50% in 2026/27 (a 31.05% cumulative increase over the four financial years). For more information please visit https://yoursay.hornsby.nsw.gov.au/srv

How much is the pensioner rebate?
Eligible pensioners are entitled to a $250 mandatory rebate off the ordinary rates and domestic waste management charges. Council grants an additional voluntary rebate of $50, bringing the maximum rebate available to $300.

What about Domestic Waste Management Charges?
The 2024/25 domestic waste charges have increased by approximately 8%, due to increased collection and disposal costs).