McKenzie Creek farmer Neville McIntyre will appeal his land valuation after a 55 per cent increase in his rates bill

Horsham Rural City Council’s land revaluation in March has resulted in Mr McIntyre being asked to pay more than $3600 in extra council rates.

“It’s an absolute joke and it’s happened under the Fair Go Rates Cap,” he said.

“I haven’t done anything to my land; I haven’t sold land and haven’t bought land.

“Really, it should be worth less because some of it has been underwater.”

Mr McIntyre said his rates increase was far above the 3.5 per cent set out by the state government inflation-based rate cap.

Horsham council corporate services director Graeme Harrison said the rates cap was not applied to every individual bill.

“Rates are calculated based on valuation multiplied by the rate in the dollar,” he said. “How your valuation changes affects your rates.

“We tried to make that clear. The Municipal Association of Victoria has been on the radio and in the press explaining the complexity around it.”

Under the rates cap, the total amount of rates revenue received by Horsham council for pre-existing properties would be limited to a 3.5 per cent increase.

Council’s 2016-17 budget forecast more than $18.8 million in rates revenue for all properties, a 4.7 per cent increase.

During 2016-17, the total value of all property within council’s borders will rise by 12.6 per cent. Mr McIntyre claimed Horsham Rural City council had declined to give out sample valuations at the time of the draft budget’s release.

“We tried to get the valuations then, as we had in previous years, but they refused,” he said. “And now we know why.”

Mr Harrison said council had offered early evaluations only once before.

“We did one year give valuations out early, however, that was not the preference of council or the valuer general,” he said.

“They were very keen that no valuation information is provided until everything was signed off and that only happens late in the financial year.

“The best and fairest way to give valuations to everybody at the same time is through the rates notice.”