Our council works on AAV, I.E. assessed annual value which, I think, is an airy fairy estimate of what you would get if the property was rented. The council charges 8.0570 Cents in the dollar general rate, 3.5870 Sewer rate, fire contribution of 1.2850 Waste management of $85 flat Water service charge of $30 and water rate of 1.8440 c in the dollar. Then they have the hide to charge for each kilolitre of water used throughout the year. They are proposing to build a new swimming complex @ >$20 million despite shutting down a perfectly good working indoor pool and having an excellent existing 3 pool centre (which it was originally proposed to upgrade from memory to a similar standard at a cost of around 8 million) as well as 1 other recreational swinning pool at the first basin. The main problem with our local councils, is that frequently the people that are elected are self interested business people who can't get their own way and manage to do what they want by getting elected to council. Either that or they're wannabee pollies who have nothing but self interest at heart. We frequently have council managers "resign" under dubious circumstances because the mayors and councillors make their task nearly difficult if not impossible.
In answer to your question Signor h(zero)ughy our council is somewhat pro active and I must admit the services in our city are on average quite good. What I object to is funding other peoples obsessions; i.e. the local football ground upgrade to AFL standards and the construction of the afformentioned swimming centre. I'm happy with modest improvements and expansion to existing infrastructure as has been the case in the past but in these days of "user pays" I feel throwing 10's of millions of ratepayers dollars at projects which benefit only a small part of the community (and business) is simply an unfair burden on the ratepayer.