Every year most of us worry about Council rate rises. We read the headlines about how much things are going up by in percentage terms, and in dollar terms, but it is only when we receive our rate bills that we see the REAL cost to us.
Today I decided to see how it has really altered over the years, by comparing my bills for each year since arriving in the Redlands.
Council Rates and Waste Recycling Utility Charges:
- 2003-04 $1,072.56
- 2004-05 $1,113.76 a rise of 3.84% or an extra $0.79 per week
- 2005-06 $1,125.16 a rise of 1.02% or an extra $0.22 per week
- 2006-07 $1,207.92 a rise of 7.36% or an extra $1.59 per week
- 2007-08 $1,269.04 a rise of 5.06% or an extra $1.18 per week
- 2008-09 $1,346.40 a rise of 6.10% or an extra $1.49 per week
- 2009-10 $1,444.84 a rise of 7.31% or an extra $1.89 per week
- 2010-11 $1,550.64 a rise of 7.32% or an extra $2.03 per week
- 2011-12 $1,604.36 a rise of 3.46% or an extra $1.03 per week
The Total Water charges are dependent on an individuals actual usage, but the standing charges are fixed, so with water I will show the figures in two separate sections:
Water Fixed Charges (water Access and Water Sewerage):
- 2003-04 $600.20
- 2004-05 $610.04 a rise of 1.64% or an extra $0.19 per week
- 2005-06 $616.72 a rise of 1.10% or an extra $0.13 per week
- 2006-07 $709.48 a rise of 15.04% or an extra $1.78 per week
- 2007-08 $792.00 a rise of 11.63% or an extra $1.59 per week
- 2008-09 $842.00 a rise of 6.31% or an extra $0.96 per week
- 2009-10 $883.48 a rise of 4.93% or an extra $0.80 per week
- 2010-11 $936.36 a rise of 5.99% or an extra $1.02 per week
- 2011-12 $970.04 a rise of 3.60% or an extra $0.65 per week
But now, to the water costs…
I have calculated my water consumption costs down to the average cost of a Kilolitre (1,000 litres) for each of the years, and based the following figures on an average household usage of 266 Kl per year.
In March 2011 the Redlands’ average water consumption was 182 litres per person a day. So I have estimated 4 people, times 365 days, times 182 litres person = 266 Kilolitres per year.
Water Consumption costs per 1,000 litres
- 2003-04 $0.4499
- 2004-05 $0.5051 a rise of 12.26% or an extra $0.28 per week
- 2005-06 $0.6462 a rise of 27.93% or an extra $0.72 per week
- 2006-07 $0.7100 a rise of 9.87% or an extra $0.33 per week
- 2007-08 $0.7670 a rise of 8.03% or an extra $0.29 per week
- 2008-09 $1.3587 a rise of 77.14% or an extra $3.03 per week
- 2009-10 $1.6919 a rise of 24.52% or an extra $1.70 per week
- 2010-11 $1.7673 a rise of 4.46% or an extra $0.39 per week
The percentage figures do NOT however give us the real costs.
For example, the highest years rise for the Council Rates and Waste Recycling Utility Charges was 7.36% in 2006-07, or in dollar terms $1.59 per week.
Compare this to the massive 77.14% rise in water consumption costs in 2008-09, which was, for the average shown above, an extra $3.03 per week. This is still a very high rise when we compare that 2007-08 rose by only 29 cents per week, and 2010-11 rose by only 39 cents per week.
The REAL cost however, is when we compare to our own rise in income.
The total increase of all the above, between 2003 and 2010 works out at a total rise of 65% over 7 years.
The Queensland average wage, for full time workers, has risen by 43.8% over the same period, so we have ended up with a REAL combined increase of about 20% over 7 years, which is just under 3% per year on average.
I will look at Electricity next… that will be interesting, maybe even shocking 😉
Mark.
To have an increase of 83% in 2 years, I would hazard a guess that they either made a mistake, OR, your property has been revalued, in dollar terms, or rating terms.
ie: Most standard properties are rated at about $3.78 per year (cat 1a) for each $1,000 of rateable value.
However, vacant land on the Islands, when the land is considered likely to be granted a development permit, can be rated as high as $31.46 per year (cat 12a) for each $1,000 of rateable value.
If you check your rating value AND the rating category number from the two bills, we may be able to see why this 83% has occurred. You may find the property rating category has changed.
A good breakdown thank you. I don’t normally look at my rate costs, until the last bill came in. I have a vacant lot in the bay islands. In the 2 years since 2009 my rates have increased 83%! Seriously. I have contacted council for an explanation, has anybody had similar increases? Mark