FAQs

You can have your say by:

• Completing the feedback form available at the bottom of this project page.
• Sending your comments to engage@ahc.sa.gov.au
• Speaking with our project team via 8400 0400
• Sending a letter to Annual Business Plan, PO Box 44 Woodside SA 5244
• Dropping your hard copy feedback form to one of our libraries in Stirling, Gumeracha or Woodside. 
• Speaking in person at 6:30pm, on Tuesday 25 May at the Stirling Council Chamber.

We need your feedback by no later than 5pm Wednesday 26 May.

Copies are available at each of our libraries (Gumeracha, Stirling and Woodside).

You can request a hard copy to be sent to you by calling 8400 0400 or emailing engage@ahc.sa.gov.au 

Download from this project page in the document library above.

An annual business plan is a document that details a council’s budget for the coming financial year. It outlines how revenue will be raised, and which programs, projects and services will be delivered using that revenue. 

Annual business plans also show how the financial year’s programs, projects and services will contribute to delivering the goals outlined in council’s four-year strategic plan, and how the budget relates to their long-term financial plan.

Councils raise most of their revenue through rates. The Local Government Act 1999 requires councils to clearly explain and justify their decisions about how they set their rates and distribute (or ‘spend’) those funds. This includes communicating with and consulting their communities to achieve the best possible balance between the rates required and the services delivered.

To develop our Draft Annual Business Plan 2021-22 and set this year’s rates, Council carefully considered a range of factors, including:

• what we need to do this year to ensure we achieve the broader goals outlined in our Strategic Plan 2020-24 – A Brighter Future, which were identified in close consultation with our community
• how our actions this year will support our Long-term Financial Plan, which ensures we operate fairly, responsibly and sustainably now and into the future
• the mix of projects, programs and services we need to deliver to meet community expectations and aspirations
• our known and anticipated costs, risks and opportunities.

Page 30 of the Draft Annual Business Plan 2021-22 provides further detail about the factors that have influenced this year’s budget.

The rate proposed in our Draft Annual Business Plan 2021-22 is a general rate increase of 2.5%, which will allow us to maintain financial sustainability as well as fund our initiatives to support businesses and community.

For a residential property of average value, this equates to an increase of approximately $50 across the 2021-22 year. (Rate increases may vary from the average where there has been new development, capital improvements or significant changes to the value of the property.)

Rates revenue accounts for over 80% of our Council’s operating income (with grants, fees and charges making up the majority of our remaining operating income).

Rates are calculated on the capital value of properties, these valuations are undertaken by the Office of the Valuer-General. The Valuer General has recently completed a revaluation exercise of properties in the Adelaide Hills Council area. This is likely to result in many rate assessments experiencing a change in rates payable much higher or lower than the average rate increase proposed.

Council has modified the rate capping strategy to try to lessen the impact of the re-evaluations on residents. Further details of this are here.

You’ll find a financial overview on page 28 of the full Draft Annual Business Plan 2021-22. 

Please explore the Draft Annual Business Plan 2021-22 for a detailed breakdown of the proposed budget for Council’s projects, programs and services.

All feedback received by 5pm on Wednesday 26 May 2021 will be consolidated and presented to Council. 

Council will consider the consolidated feedback before finalising the Annual Business Plan 2021-22.

We will provide details on this site as soon as the final Annual Business Plan 2021-22 is finalised and adopted.

We will include a Summary Annual Business Plan 2021-22 by post to all ratepayers with our rates notices in late July. You will also be able to download the summary and the full document online at ahc.sa.gov.au and on this project page.

If you register in this site, provide your email address with your feedback or follow this page we will inform you when the summary is available.