FAQs

Under Section 123 of the Local Government Act 1999 Councils must have, for each financial year, an Annual Business Plan and Budget. It must include a summary of Council’s long-term objectives as set out in its Strategic Management Plans. The Strategic Management Plans identify the Council’s objectives, how a Council intends to achieve its objectives, how they fit with the objectives of other levels of government, performance measures and estimates of revenue and expense.

Some of our key projects and activities planned for 2023-24 include:

1. Continued development of the Fabrik Arts and Heritage Hub in Lobethal
2. Participation in the federally funded Local Roads and Community Infrastructure program to further invest in our region’s assets
3. Development of a new Strategic Plan which sets Council goals and objectives over the next 4 years
4. A trial of modified frequency of general waste pickup and enhanced frequency and collections areas of green waste bin collections

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 8408 0400 or emailing engage@ahc.sa.gov.au 

Download from this project page in the document library above.

On Tuesday 23 May you will have the opportunity to attend the 6.30pm Council meeting being held at the Stirling Council Chamber, 63 Mount Barker Road, Stirling.

Please register to attend.

For feedback to be considered it must be received by Council no later than 5pm, Friday 2 June 2022.

You can ask us a question using the Q&A tool on this page, by email engage@ahc.sa.gov.au or by calling Lachlan Miller on 8408 0400 during business hours.

To develop our Draft Annual Business Plan 2023-24 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 27 of the Draft Annual Business Plan 2023-24 provides further detail about the factors that have influenced this year’s budget.

An annual business plan is a document that details a council’s priorities and 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 the long-term financial plan.

You’ll find a financial overview on page 25 of the full Draft Annual Business Plan 2023-24. 

Please explore the Draft Annual Business Plan 2023-24 for a detailed breakdown of the proposed budget for Council’s projects, programs and services.

All feedback received by 5pm on 2 June 2023 will be consolidated and presented to Council. 

Council will consider the consolidated feedback before finalising the Annual Business Plan 2023-24.

Adelaide Hills Council use Differential Rating whereby it applies different rates in the dollar for different land uses.

There are nine different land uses that Council can differentiate between. They are:

1. Residential
2. Commercial – Shop
3. Commercial – Office
4. Commercial – Other
5. Industry – Light
6. Industry – Other
7. Primary Production
8. Vacant Land
9. Other

The definition of each category is set out in detail in the Local Government (General) Regulations 1999 (at regulation 10).

Should you have any reason to believe that the land use category applied to your assessment is not reflective of the predominant use of your property, you may lodge a written objection to Council outlining the grounds upon which your objection is based. Objections must be submitted within 60 days of receipt of the first Rates Notice for the financial year. 

Every year, Council develops an Annual Business Plan and Budget which links our Strategic Plan 2020-24 – A Brighter Future, the Long Term Financial Plan (LTFP) and our Asset Management Plans with the annual budget planning process. This ensures that we continue to develop and maintain essential infrastructure services such as roads, footpaths, bridges, public toilets and open spaces as well as providing important services including libraries, health, planning, support services and waste collection that our community has told us they value, in a way that is fair, responsible and financially sustainable.

Our Draft Annual Business Plan 2023-24 focuses on continuing to support the Adelaide Hills community, environment and economy.