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2020/ 2021Your Rates Pack

What your rates deliverHow to pay your rates

Your Council rates explained Firebreak and Fuel Load Notice

Included in this pack

Delivering Relief and Recovery - Building the Future

Economic relief and recovery initiatives that benefit our community are a major focus of Shire of Mundaring’s 2020/21 budget.

Your Council has re-assessed budget priorities and endorsed a raft of economic stimulus and assistance strategies. This includes no rate revenue increase and no increase to Shire fees and charges. The intent is to provide economic relief to community members, including businesses, impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.

A COVID-19 Relief and Recovery Fund will strengthen the ability of our community’s volunteer and sporting groups to return to action, via a grants program.

Shire of Mundaring will waive a portion of hire fees at its facilities for 12 months and underwrite other recovery initiatives.

Council continues to demonstrate foresight in responding to this COVID-19 crisis by leaving a portion of the Fund unallocated. This allows Council to consider new strategies as the year unfolds.

Despite the challenges of COVID-19, the Shire will continue to deliver essential services and projects while preserving long-term plans.

Exciting capital works projects planned for this year include an extension to the Mt Helena skate park, upgrades to Morgan John Morgan Reserve and construction of the Chidlow Village Green skate park.

Meanwhile, an authorised refund point will be built at Coppin Road Transfer Station to support the highly anticipated State-wide Container Deposit Scheme. Modifications to the former Stoneville Playgroup building will accommodate the Mundaring Firefighter’s School. A number of economic stimulus projects are also scheduled for 2020/21 with support from the Federal government’s Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program.

While Shire of Mundaring has not increased its rates this year, the periodic system of revaluations of properties by the State Government, through the Valuer General, means that some ratepayers will pay more and some pay less, compared to 2019/20. See page 4 for an explanation of how rates are calculated.

I am proud of our efforts to work together to face the unprecedented changes of 2020. I thank all residents, businesses and community groups for the valuable contribution they make to our community. We are emerging from the challenges as a stronger community and ready to build a promising future.

Cr John DawCr John Daw

Shire President

Go greenwith e-Rates!Did you know that you can receive your rates electronically? Visit the Shire website to sign up to receive future rates notices by email.

Libraries $1.7m

Family and Children’s Services $5.7m

COVID-19 Relief and Recovery Fund $700k

The Shire runs two public libraries in Mundaring and Boya.

Delivery of early childhood and parenting services, funded by government grants and fees.

Includes community grants program and reduction of hire fees for Shire-run facilities.

Community Engagement $546kDelivering a community grants program, cultural and artistic events, and skills-based workshops creates a vibrant, connected community.

Access for All $165kThe Shire facilitates an Inclusion and Disability Access Advisory Group, Active Ageing Network, and The Hub of the Hills.

Waste Management $6.7mOperating two waste/recycling transfer stations in Chidlow and Mundaring; domestic waste and recycling collections and annual bulk and green waste verge collections.

Elected Members and Council Meetings $402k

Aquatic Facilities and Recreation Centres $2.42m

Twelve democratically elected councillors to represent community interests.

Including two public pools, Mundaring Arena and Brown Park.

Halls $1mThe Shire manages and maintains 18 halls which are available for community hire.

WHAT YOUR RATES DELIVER

Making it happen $4.6mCorporate services such as customer service, record keeping and finance. Includes civic/administration building costs, loan interest repayments and depreciation.

Youth Services $129kGiving young people a say through The Youth Crew and enabling community groups to provide initiatives through the Youth Engagement Partnership Fund.

Bushfire Brigades and Fire Prevention $1.48mSupporting nine volunteer bushfire brigades; mitigation and education activities to ensure we are bushfire ready.

Animal Control $791kPromoting responsible pet ownership and working to ensure safety of our community.

Environmental Management $779k

Town Planning and Statutory Building Services $1.9m

Protecting bushland and watercourses through programs such as Seedlings for Landcare, Mundaring Environmental Art Project, workshops and partnership with Waterwise Council.

Developing our strategic planning framework to balance growth while protecting the area’s distinct sense of place. Assessing planning, subdivision and building licences.

Recreation Grounds $3.53m Street Lighting $670k Roads, Footpaths, Drainage and Public Works $6.65mIncluding 37 playgrounds,

34 plexi-pave hardcourts, 8 BMX jump and skate parks, 11 ovals, 70km Railway Reserves Heritage Trail and 400+ hectares public open space.

The Shire pays Western Power to run and maintain street lighting.

Maintaining 681km of roads, 447km of kerbs, 16 bridges, 109 bus shelters, 183km of drainage pipes, 37km of open drains and 117km of footpaths.

Shire of Mundaring is committed to making our community a vibrant place to live and work and an exciting destination to visit. Our operating budget for 2020-21 is $51.8 million. This is made up of rates income, government funding and fees and charges. Below is a snapshot of how some of these funds will be allocated to support our community over the next financial year.

Tourism $184kOur Visitor Centre promotes Mundaring and surrounds as an attractive tourist destination in the Perth Hills.

Health Admin/Inspections $687kConducting health inspections, managing pests, noise complaints and water quality testing at Lake Leschenaultia and our aquatic facilities.

For your convenience, there are three options for you to choose from when it comes to paying your rates:

Option 1 – Payment IN FULL by 31 August 2020

Option 2 – Payment via four equal INSTALMENTSTo qualify for instalments, the exact amount shown at Option 2 on your Rates Notice must be received in one whole payment by 31 August 2020.• First instalment due 31 August 2020• Second instalment due 03 November 2020• Third instalment due 11 January 2021• Fourth instalment due 15 March 2021

Option 3 - Alternative payment arrangements/ direct debit Requests for payment arrangements and/ordirectdebitsmustbenotifiedtotheShireRatesOffice(92906617)priortotheduedatespecifiedonyourRatesNotice.

Please be aware that the following conditions apply:• interest charges at the rate of 8%

per annum on the rates and charges outstanding after 30 September 2020 and will continue to accrue daily until settled in full

• theShirewillconfirminwritingthereceiptofthe payment plan.

TheShirealsohasaCOVID-19FinancialHardship Policy, which details the Shire’s position on:• Paymentdifficulties,hardshipand

vulnerability;• Anticipatedfinancialhardshipduetothe

pandemic; • Acriteriaforfinancialhardship;• Payment arrangements; • Suspension or deferment of interest

charges; • Deferment of rates for ratepayers holding a

Pensioner Card; State • Concession Card or Seniors Card; and • Suspension of debt recoveryWeencourageanyoneexperiencingfinancialhardshipduetoCOVID-19tocontacttheShireon92906666todiscusstheirsituation.

How can I pay my rates?

Step 1Total rates required to run

the Local Government

Cost of running

the Local Government

Minus non-rate revenue

(grants, fees & charges, other)

To calculate rate revenue

required

Step 2Rate in dollar calculated

Divide the rates revenue required

By the combined rental

value of all rateable properties

To calculate the rate in the dollar

Step 3What you pay

Multiply the rate in the dollar

By your property’s value as set by the Valuer

General – either Gross Rental Value (GRV) or

Unimproved Value (UV)

To calculate your rates for

the year

Your Council Rates Explained

Although Shire of Mundaring has not increased its rates revenue for 2020/21, the periodic system of revaluations of properties undertaken by the State

government through the Valuer General this year will result in some ratepayers paying more, and some

ratepayerspayinglessthanin2019/20.ThisisduetothefluctuationsinthevaluationsdeterminedbytheValuer General for each individual property, not the

uniform rate in the dollar set by the Shire.

FIREBREAK AND FUEL LOAD NOTICE 2020/2021

Notice to all owners and/or occupiers of land situated within Shire of Mundaring

Asameasuretoassistinthecontrolofbushfires,orpreventingthespreadorextensionofabushfirewhichmayoccur,noticeisherebygiventoallownersand/oroccupiersoflandwithintheShireof Mundaring that pursuant to the powers conferred in Section 33 of the Bush Fires Act 1954, works in accordance with the requisitions of this notice must be carried out before the 1st day of November in each year, or within 14 days of becoming the owner or occupier of land if after that date.AllworkspecifiedinthisNoticeistobemaintaineduptoandincludingthe31stdayofMarchin the following calendar year.

DEFINITIONSForthepurposeofthisNoticethefollowingdefinitionsapply:

Alternative Fire Management ArrangementincludesavariationasdefinedinSection6ofthisNoticeand,aBushfireManagementPlan,BushfireManagementStatement,orFuelLoadManagementPlan,approvedbytheShireofMundaringtoreduceandmitigatefirehazardswithinaparticular subdivision, lot or other area of land anywhere in the district.

Authorised Officer means an employee of the Shire of Mundaring appointed as a Bush Fire ControlOfficerpursuanttothepowersconferredinSection38oftheBush Fires Act 1954.

Firebreak means a strip or area of ground, not less than 3 metres in width, and 4 metres in height, immediately inside all external boundaries of any lot owned and/or occupied by you and situated withinShireofMundaring,constructedtoatrafficablesurfacethatiskeptandmaintainedtotallyclearofallflammablematerialandincludesthepruningandremovalofanylivingordeadtrees,scruboranyothermaterialencroachingintotheverticalaxisofthefirebreakarea.Suchfirebreaksmay be constructed by one or more of the following methods: PLOUGHING, CULTIVATING, SCARIFYING, RAKING, BURNING, CHEMICAL SPRAYING OR OTHER METHOD as approved by an AuthorisedOfficer.

Flammable Material means any plant, tree, grass, substance, object, thing or material that may or islikelytocatchfireandburnoranyotherthingdeemedbyanauthorisedofficertobecapableofcombustion.

Fuel Depot / Fuel Storage Area means an area of land, a building or structure where fuel, ie (petrol,diesel,kerosene,liquidgasoranyotherfossilfuel)iskeptinanycontainerormanner.

Fuel Load istheleaflitteronthegroundinclusiveofleaves,twigs(upto6mmindiameter)andbark. A litter depth of 5mm from the top of the layer to the mineral earth beneath is indicative of approximately 2.5 tonnes per hectare. A litter depth of 15mm from the top of the layer to the mineral earth beneath is indicative of approximately 8 tonnes per hectare. The Shire of Mundaring can provide advice on determining fuel load levels and provides a fuel load measurement guide for your use on request.

Bush Fires Act 1954

Section 33

Your Council Rates Explained

Habitable Buildings means a dwelling, workplace, place of gathering or assembly, a building used for the storage or display of goods or produce for sale by wholesale in accordance with classes 1-9oftheBuildingCodeofAustralia.Thetermhabitablebuildingincludesattachedandadjacentstructureslikegarages,carportsverandasorsimilarroofedstructure(s)thatareattachedto,orwithin6metresofthedwellingorprimarybuilding.

Maintaining Fuel Loads relates to the management of leaf litter as described in this Notice. Reducing fuel load levels does not necessarily require the removal of existing natural vegetation. A combination of methods can be utilised inclusive of safe burning, raking, weed removal, pruning and/or the removal of dead plant material.

Managed Vegetation includes vegetation that is pruned away from buildings, under pruned to minimise contact with ground fuels and that is kept free of dead suspended matter such as twigs, leaves and bark.

Trafficablemeanstobeabletotravelfromonepointtoanotherinafour-wheeldrivefireapplianceonaclearsurface,unhinderedwithoutanyobstructionthatmayendangersuchfireappliances.Afirebreakisnottoterminate,orleadtoadeadend,withoutprovisionforegresstoasafeplaceoraclearedturnaroundareaofnotlessthana19metrediameter.

Vertical Axismeansacontinuousverticaluninterruptedlineatarightangletothehorizontallineofthefirebreaktoaminimumheightof4metresfromtheground.

LAND CATEGORIESThespecificrequirementsbelowrelatingtolandcategorieswithintheShirearetobeimplementedandmaintainedtothesatisfactionofanAuthorisedOfficer.

1. All land with an area of less than 5000sqm with a building on itMaintain an Asset Protection Zone in line with the requirements of Section 5 of this Notice.

For the remainder of the land on the lot outside of the Asset Protection Zone:• maintain all grass on the land to a height no greater than 5cm• ensure no tree crowns overhang a building• prunetreesandshrubs,andremovedeadflammablematerialwithin1.5metresaroundall

buildings• ensuretheroofs,guttersandwallsofallbuildingsonthelandarefreeofflammablematter• maintain fuel loadings in natural bush areas at less than 8 tonnes per hectare across the land.

2. All land with an area of 5000sqm or greater, with a building on it

Maintain an Asset Protection Zone in line with the requirements of Section 5 of this Notice.

For the remainder of the land on the lot outside of the Asset Protection Zone:• ifthelandisanareaoflessthan50,000sqm(5Hectares)allgrassmustbemaintainedonthe

land to a height no greater than 5cm.• ifthelandisanareaof50,000sqm(5Hectares)orgreater,thegrassmustbemaintainedonthe

landtoaheightnogreaterthan5cmforadistanceof10mfromanyfirebreak• installafirebreakaroundallstructuresandimmediatelyinsideallexternalboundariesofthe

land

• prunetreesandshrubs,andremovedeadflammablematerialaroundallstructures• ensuretheroofs,guttersandwallsofallbuildingsonthelandarefreeofflammablematter• maintain fuel loadings in natural bush areas at less than 8 tonnes per hectare across the land.

3. All vacant land

• installafirebreakimmediatelyinsideallexternalboundariesoftheland.• ifthelandisanareaoflessthan50,000sqm(5Hectares)allgrassmustbemaintainedonthe

land to a height no greater than 5cm.• ifthelandisanareaof50,000sqm(5Hectares)orgreater,thegrassmustbemaintainedonthe

landtoaheightnogreaterthan5cmforadistanceof10mfromanyfirebreak• maintain fuel loadings in natural bush areas to less than 8 tonnes per hectare across the land

4. Fuel Depot / Fuel Storage Area / Haystacks / Stockpiled Flammable Material

• removeallinflammablematterwithin10metresofwherefueldrums,fuelrampsorfueldumpsare located, and where fuel drums, whether containing fuel or not, are stored

• installafirebreakimmediatelyadjacenttoanyhaystacksorstockpiledflammablematerial

5. Asset (Building) Protection Zone Specification

TheAssetProtectionZone(APZ)forhabitablebuildingsandrelatedstructures,asdefinedwithinthis Notice, must meet the following requirements, unless varied under an approved ‘Alternative FireManagementArrangement’asdefinedwithinthisNotice,andappliesonlywithintheboundaries of the lot on which the habitable building is situated:• APZs for habitable buildings must extend a minimum of 20 metres out from any external walls

ofthebuilding,attachedstructures,oradjacentstructureswithin6metresofthehabitablebuilding

• on sloping ground the APZ distance shall increase at least 1 metre for every degree in slope on the sides of the habitable building that are exposed to down slope natural vegetation

• APZs predominantly consist of managed vegetation, reticulated lawns and gardens and other non-flammablefeatures

• all grass is maintained to or under 5cm• fuel loads must be maintained at 2 tonnes per hectare or lower• clear separation distance between adjoining or nearby tree crowns• a small group of trees within close proximity to one another may be treated as one crown

providedthecombinedcrownsdonotexceedtheareaofalargeormaturecrownsizeforthatspecies

• treesaretobelowpruned(orunderpruned)toatleastaheightof2metresfromground• no tree, or shrub over 2 metres high are to be within 2 metres of a habitable building• tall shrubs over 2 metres high are not planted in groups close to the habitable building and

ensurethereisagapofatleastthreetimestheheight(atmaturity)oftheshrubawayfromthehabitable building

• there are no tree crowns or branches hanging over habitable buildings• ensuretheroofs,guttersandwallsofallbuildingsonthelandarefreeofflammablematter• installpathsandnon-flammablefeaturesimmediatelyadjacenttothehabitablebuilding• woodpilesandflammablematerialsstoredasafedistancefromhabitablebuildings

6. Application to vary the above requirements

If it is considered impracticable for any reason whatsoever to implement any of the requirements of this Notice, you may apply in writing to the Shire of Mundaring by no later than the 15th day of September each year for permission to implement alternative measures to assist in the control of bushfires,orpreventingthespreadorextensionofabushfirewhichmayoccur.Ifpermissionisnotgranted in writing by the Shire of Mundaring you must comply with the requirements of this Notice.

7. Additional Works

In addition to the requirements of this Notice, you may be required to carry out further works which areconsiderednecessarybyanAuthorisedOfficerandspecifiedbywayofaseparatewrittennoticeforwarded to the address of the owner/s as shown on the Shire of Mundaring rates record for the relevant land.

TAKENOTICEthatpursuanttoSection33(4)oftheBush Fires Act 1954, where the owner and/or occupier of land fails or neglects to comply with the requisitions of this Notice within the times specified,theShireofMundaringmay,byitsofficersandwithsuchservants,workmenandcontractors,vehiclesandmachineryastheofficersdeemfit,enteruponthelandandcarryouttherequisitionsofthisNoticewhichhavenotbeencompliedwithandpursuanttoSection33(5)oftheBush Fires Act 1954, the amount of any costs and expenses incurred may be recovered from you as the owner and/or occupier of the land.

BURNING OF GARDEN REFUSE

• 1sqmpilesofgardenrefusemaybeburntwithoutapermitbetween6pmand11pmandmustbe fully extinguished before midnight. Fully extinguished means no heat, smoke or steam and no whiteashpresentwherethefirewassituated

• no more than ONE pile of garden refuse is to be burnt at any one time.• youmustobtainapermittoburnbefore6pm,andfollowallpermitconditions.• theremustbeoneadultperson/sinattendanceatalltimesorasspecifiedonyourpermit.

If the requirements of this Notice are carried out by burning, such burning must be in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Bush Fires Act 1954.

ThePENALTYFORFAILINGTOCOMPLYwiththisNoticeisafinenotexceeding$5000andapersonin default is also liable, whether prosecuted or not, to pay the costs of performing the work directed by this Notice if it is not carried out by the owner and/or occupier by the date required by this Notice.

By order of the Council.

Jonathan ThrossellCHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Please be advised that the Fire & Burning Information booklet is now issued once every three years and is duetoberesentatthestartofthe2021/2022financialyear.Ifyouwouldlikeacopymailedtoyouinthemeantime,pleasecall92906666orvisittheShirewebsitetodownloadthebooklet.

Shire of Mundaring7000 Great Eastern Highway, MUNDARING WA 6073

(08) 9290 6666 Email: shire@mundaring.wa.gov.au Website: mundaring.wa.gov.au Facebook: facebook.com/ShireofMundaring

Section 24F and 24G (Restricted Burning)