VPRS 17651 Valuation Cards

Full description

Since the proclamation of the Municipal Institutions Act 1854 (No. 26) local councils have been empowered to annually make the levy General Rates in respect of all rateable properties within the municipal district. (This provision has been incorporated in all Local Government Acts from 1873). Rates are the main source of income of the municipality and valuation is an integral part of the rating system.

Under the Act, Councils are required to cause a valuation of all rateable property. The initial valuation must take place no less than three months after the constitution of the municipality with subsequent valuations occurring from time to time as determined by the Council. Under the provisions of the Local Government Act 1958 a valuation must be held at least once within the six years following the previous one.

The Act also specifies the form in which the valuer is to make and return all valuations. Once adopted by the Council, the return of general valuation becomes an important accounting record. It serves as the basis for making of the rate (the rate struck is a proportion of the rateable value of each property), and for entry of individual valuations to the accounts of the Rate Books.

The Local Government (Amendment) Act 1959 provided for the return of valuations in the form of a series of numbered cards of loose sheets. In such instances, the Act also specified the creation of a certified list which records the numbers allocated and the following detail for each property: number, unimproved capital value, capital improved value and net annual value.

Refer to VPRS 17737 - Rate and Valuation Cards (1989-1991), which appears to be the subsequent series.