Frequently Asked Questions

There are a number of questions that Hurstville City Council is frequently asked by the community. Answers to some of the most commonly asked questions are provided below:

Rates  | Waste | Recycling

Rates

Q:   When are my rates due and payable?

Q:   How are rates calculated?

Q:   Are there penalties for late payment of rates?

Q:   What should I do if I am having difficulty paying my rates?

Q:   What are my rates used for?

Q:   Why do I have to pay domestic waste charge?

Q:   What is Infrastructure Plus?

Q:   Why do you have to pay council rates?

Q:   How does a council decide how much you have to pay in rates and charges?

Q:   How does council decide which category your property is in?

Q:   What can you do if you don't agree with the categorisation of your property?

Q:   Can council change the category of your land?

Q:   What if you don't agree with the land value of your property?

Q:   Is there any way of knowing what your rates and charges will be before receiving your rate notice?

Q:   Can you object to what council is proposing?

Q:   What is rate pegging?

Q:   Can your rates increase by more than the rate-peg percentage?

Q:   Are all rates and charges limited by rate-pegging?

Q:   Is there any way that councils can increase their income by more than the rate-peg limit?

Q:   Is there any way to control the increases on rates and charges that are not subject to rate-pegging?

Q:   Do you have to pay a domestic waste management service charge if you don't use the service?

Q:   If you don't use the service, do you have to pay the same amount as those who do use it?

Q:   Why have water and sewerage charges changed?

Q:   As a pensioner, are you eligible for a concession/rebate on your rates?

Q:   How do you apply for a pensioner concession?

Q:   If you are eligible, what concessions are you entitled to?

Q:   Does the amount of the concession increase with inflation or in line with rate increases?

Q:   Is there any plan to increase the concession amounts?

Q:   Can councils offer additional concessions for pensioners?

Q:   Can you be exempt from paying council rates?

Recycling

Q:   Why is recycling important?

Q:   Why are there certain things that I can’t dispose of in my recycling bin?

Q:   Can I place plastic bags in my recycling bin?

Q:   Can pizza boxes be recycled?

Q:   Which plastics can I recycle and what do the numbers and symbols found on plastic packaging mean?

Q:   Can plastic trays be recycled?

Q:   What should I do with the lids of bottles and jars?

Q:   Do I have to take the labels off recyclable materials?

Q:   Do I need to remove stables from paper and window faces from envelopes before recycling?

Q:   Can I recycle waxed boxes and paper cups?

Q:   Can paper towel be recycled?

Q:   What types of glass can I recycle?

Q:   What types of cans can I recycle?

Q:   Apart from cans, what other types of metals can I recycle?

Q:   How do I recycle clothing, shoes, toys, textiles and other general household items?

Waste

Q:   How do I obtain additional residential bins for my recyclable, non-recyclable and green waste?

Q:   Where is the closest rubbish tip to Hurstville City?

Q:   What do I do if my bin is stolen or damaged?

Q:   Are people allowed to dump rubbish, in a public park or reserve?

Q:   What can I do about blocked public drain?

Q:   Can someone from Council come and clean up the litter in my street?

Q:   How can I get rid of household chemicals and paints lying around my home?

Q:   I have just built a new house, dual occupancy, villas, townhouses, units, a shop or a commercial development - how do I get new bins?