Why do we have fees and charges?
We provide a wide range of services to the community that cost staff time and resources. Many are paid from general or targeted rates, while others are recovered from government subsidies.
We apply user fees and charges to fund the operating expenses of activities where the people who benefit can be directly identified and charged. The aim is to shift a proportion of the cost to the people who get the most use out of the service, rather than the general ratepayer.
When setting fees and charges, a number of considerations are kept in mind, including indirect benefit to the community, distribution of benefits and ability to pay
Our Fees and charges are reviewed annually and updated when required to better reflect the true cost of providing services as outlined in our Revenue and Financing Policy.