FAQs

The ESVF is a state government levy collected by Council to fund Victoria’s emergency services (Victorian State Emergency Service (VICSES), Triple Zero Victoria, Emergency Management Victoria, the State Control Centre, Forest Fire Management Victoria and Emergency Recovery Victoria, as well as the Country Fire Authority (CFA) and Fire Rescue Victoria). It replaces the old Fire Services Property Levy and includes both a fixed and variable charge based on your property’s value. Council does not control this levy, but eligible pensioners and volunteers may receive concessions or rebates.

The Keysborough South Maintenance Levy is a $350 annual levy applied to properties within specific estates in Keysborough South. It was introduced when these estates were first developed to fund the maintenance of their enhanced public spaces, which include:

• Larger landscaped areas (around 20% open space vs the usual 5%)
• Native vegetation preservation
• Infrastructure not covered by Council’s standard capital works budget

Only properties within the original levy boundary (defined in the development agreements) are charged. Homes outside these estates are not subject to the levy.

Since its introduction, the levy amount has remained unchanged, even as maintenance costs and service expectations have grown. Council continues to deliver landscaping, irrigation, and capital upgrades funded by the levy. As part of ongoing budget reviews, Council may consider adjustments to ensure the sustainability of these services.

For more information, see Keysborough South Maintenance Levy FAQs.

Rate capping was introduced in 2016 to limit how much councils can increase their general rates and municipal charges each year. It applies to the total amount of money a council collects from all ratepayers (not to individual bills).

The maximum percentage increase is set each year by the Minister for Local Government. For the 2025-26 financial year, the rate cap is 3%.

Rate capping applies to the total amount of money a Council can collect (not to each individual property).

To make the maths easy, let’s say Council set a total budget of $10 million last year for rates. If the rate cap is 3% this year and Council decides to utilise the full 3%, then the total amount Council can collect would be $10.3 million.

But how much you pay depends on your share of the total value of all properties in the City of Greater Dandenong. If your property value goes up more than others, your share increases. Therefore, you pay more.

Still a bit confusing?

Think of the budget like a cake. Each year, the cake only gets a little bigger depending on the rate cap. You’re paying for a slice of that cake through your rates. But how big your slice is depends on how valuable your property is compared to everyone else’s

Every year, all properties are revalued by an independent valuer (Valuer-General Victoria, not Council!) The average increase is then overall change in property values across our city. For example, if the average increase was 5%, that means the total value of all properties went up by 5% on average.

Now let’s compare your property to that average:

If your property’s value went up more than 5%, it increased more than that average. That means your property makes up a larger share of the city’s total property value, so you pay a larger share of the total rates.

On the other hand, if your property’s value went up less than 5%, or didn’t go up at all, it increased less than the average. That means your property makes up a smaller share of the total value. Therefore, you end up paying a smaller share of the total rates.

Here’s an example:

• Last year, your house was worth $500,000.
• This year, it’s worth $550,000 –> a 10% increase.
• But the average increase across the city was 5%.

Your property increased more than average, so your share of the total rates pie is now larger, even though the total pie only grew by 3% due to rate capping.