Land record

Council’s land record lists every block of land in the local government area along with its current use, owner and occupier.

Council does not levy general rates, but land record data is used to levy utility charges and as a reference point for land lease interests and Council assets. This year, Council’s database was updated to ensure it matched current land titles records. The land record had not been updated consistently since 2019, and in that time numerous Land Holding Act (“Katter”) leases had been registered. When a new Katter lease is registered, all improvements on the land (including any house) become privately owned by the new leaseholder. Any Council-owned social housing on the land must therefore be removed from Council’s asset database from the commencement date of the Katter lease, as Council is no longer responsible for the management and insurance of the house. Council must update its housing register to ensure that rental charges stop when the house becomes privately owned. In addition, over 50 Katter leases registered in the 1980s were “land-only” leases, meaning that the land is under a perpetual residential lease, but the house has remained Council-managed social housing. Some of these houses are now being divested to the leaseholder, with houses becoming privately owned and removed from Council’s asset and housing registers. Details of NPARIH (social housing) leases held by the State have been updated, which allows rates and rent information to be cross-checked and accurately invoiced. By ensuring that Council’s records are accurate, Council is less likely to receive a qualified audit. Updating Council’s land record was a complex process that involved reconciling state land title records and departmental lease data against Council’s lease database, asset register and housing register. Before the land record was updated, the database listed 73 private homes across the local government area. Once updated, there were 158 residential utility charges flagged, with all 187 registered Katter leases, nine additional NPARIH leases, and one additional commercial lease listed. There were 43 social houses flagged for disposal from the asset register. Asset disposals have been completed to ensure that Council does not pay insurance for the houses it no longer owns. Updating the land record has allowed Council to levy residential utility charges for the first time, being for the year ending 30 June 2021. Completing this process has resulted in improved internal and interagency communication about land interests, which will streamline Council administration in the future.