The Gweru City Council may have lost millions of dollars in potential revenues over the years due to lack of valuation rolls that are key for the billing of its properties and other assets.
Council has been operating without a valuation roll since 2005.
Valuation rolls are lists of properties situated within the boundaries of a given local authority compiled for the purposes of billing and taxation.
The Urban Councils Act Chapter 29:15 provides for the creation of valuation offices by councils.
Under the Urban Councils Act, all properties are rateable unless an application is made and approved by the council.
Gweru mayor Martin Chivhoko , however, said council has completed compiling a record of its non-domestic properties to come up with a valuation roll for ease of billing and taxation .
“We have completed the valuation roll which will enable us to accurately assess property values and improve our revenue collection,” Chivhoko told Southern Eye on Sunday in an interview.
Chivhoko said valuation rolls were an essential part of local government administration.
- Vungu RDC, River Valley property partner on road and drainage system
- Gweru businesswoman scoops top award
- Vungu RDC, River Valley property partner on road and drainage system
- Gweru businesswoman scoops top award
Keep Reading
“The functions of the (valuation) office include the valuation of all properties for rating purposes, council properties for insurance, letting purposes, properties for sale including stands, estimation of building costs and conducting auctions on behalf of council, conducting site inspections for compliance with respect to conditions and terms of sale of council stands and private properties for acquisition among other functions,” he said.
Gweru Residents and Ratepayers Development Association Trust director, David Chikore, said it was necessary for the local authority to have an up to date database of its commercial properties.
“This will determine if rates are paid and if the properties are being used for the general purpose,” Chikore said.
In 2022, council appointed Rananga Properties Private Limited to carry out the general revaluation and assessment of properties within its jurisdiction in terms of sections 237 and 247 of the Urban Councils Act (Chapter 29:15).
Previous government audit reports of local authorities have shown that a number of councils were losing potential revenue amounting to millions by operating without valuation rolls, and, or lack of title deeds to their properties.
