Politics
Ringwood Mayor Announces 2026 Rate Increases, August Notice Date
Ringwood residents will see the first adjustments to council rates and service delivery schedules on notices issued in August 2026.
How we reported this
The Ringwood mayor released the implementation timeline for the 2026-2027 Rates and Charges Schedule on 7 July 2026, affecting all residential and commercial ratepayers within the Ringwood municipal boundary. The schedule adjusts base rates by category and phases in new waste collection fees beginning in the fourth quarter of the calendar year.
The update follows the council's adoption of its annual budget in June 2026, which recorded total revenue of 48.3 million dollars. Local government finance records show that rates have remained unchanged in two of the prior three fiscal years, prompting the current adjustment to cover documented increases in road maintenance contracts and public facility operations.
Household Payment Schedule
Rate notices mailed in August will reflect the new base rate of 1,872 dollars for an average single-family home, with payment due in two installments on 30 September and 31 March 2027. Households that qualify for the council's pensioner rebate will receive the credit on the first notice, reducing the initial payment by 285 dollars for eligible applicants who submit forms by 15 August.
Commercial properties in the central business district will face an additional 3.1 percent levy on top of the base rate to fund extended street cleaning hours that start on 1 October. The legislation states that these funds must be spent within the same fiscal year on contracts already awarded to two local service providers.
The council's public records indicate that 62 percent of rate revenue supports core services including parks maintenance and library operations, with the remaining portion allocated to capital projects listed in the 2026 budget papers. Residents who receive notices after 20 August can request an installment plan through the finance office before the first due date.
Further rate adjustments under the same schedule are projected to appear on notices issued in August 2027, once the council completes its mid-year financial review in January 2027.