Budget & finances
Comparing raw dollar totals between councils isn't very useful — bigger councils naturally have bigger numbers. What does tell you about a council's financial health are normalised indicators: the standard ratios that every NSW council reports against the Office of Local Government's benchmarks, plus per-property figures you can compare to the NSW average. The ratios below are from the NSW Government's 'Your Council' / OLG time-series data for 2023–24.
New to these terms? Read them in plain English
- Operating performance ratio
- Whether everyday income covers everyday running costs.
- Own-source operating revenue ratio
- How much of the council's income it raises itself vs. grants from other governments.
- Unrestricted current ratio
- Whether the council has enough spare cash to pay its short-term bills.
- Debt service cover ratio
- How comfortably operating cash covers the council's loan repayments.
- Rates & annual charges outstanding ratio
- The share of rates bills that haven't been paid by year-end.
- Cash expense cover ratio
- How many months the council could keep paying bills if income stopped.
- Infrastructure backlog ratio
- The cost of fixing run-down assets, as a share of what those assets are worth.
- Asset maintenance ratio
- Whether the council actually spends what it should on maintaining its assets.
- Building & infrastructure renewals ratio
- Whether assets are being renewed as fast as they wear out.
- Operating result (surplus / deficit)
- Income minus expenses for the year's normal operations.
- OLG benchmark
- The healthy target set by the state for each financial ratio.
- Average residential rate
- The typical yearly general-rates bill for a home in the area.
- Office of Local Government (OLG)
- The NSW body overseeing councils; publishes the financial data.
- $2,377 / yearAbout 98% above the NSW council average of ~$1,203 — among the highest average residential rates in NSW. This reflects Hunter's Hill's very high land values, not necessarily a higher rate in the dollar. (2023–24: $2,267.) A separate domestic waste charge (~$737) applies. (OLG 'Your Council' data.)
- Operating deficit — performance ratio −5.3%Below the >0% benchmark (the council reported an operating deficit this year).
- Liquidity & cash
- Unrestricted current ratio 4.51× (passes); 11.2 months cash (passes); debt service cover reported 0.00× (misses)The council reported an operating deficit this year and a debt service cover of 0.00×; see its annual report for detail on debt and borrowings.
- Infrastructure
- Backlog 5.0% (misses); renewals 61.3% (misses); maintenance 108.7% (passes)The 2024–25 time-series shows these moving: backlog 3.7%, renewals 130.8%, maintenance 125.6%.
- Self-funding
- Own-source revenue 67.0% (passes)Above the >60% benchmark.
- Domestic waste charge (2023–24)
- $701 / yearA separate annual charge that funds the bin service ($737 in 2024–25).
| Indicator (2023–24) | Hunter's Hill | Meets? | |
|---|---|---|---|
| −5.3% | > 0% | No | |
| 67.0% | > 60% | Yes | |
| 4.51× | > 1.5× | Yes | |
| 0.00× | > 2× | No | |
| 6.2% | < 5% | No | |
| 11.2 months | > 3 months | Yes | |
| 5.0% | < 2% | No | |
| 108.7% | > 100% | Yes | |
| 61.3% | > 100% | No |
Hunter's Hill Council's financial-health indicators, 2023–24, against the NSW Office of Local Government benchmarks. 'Meets?' simply states whether the figure is on the benchmark side of the line. Source: NSW Government 'Your Council' / OLG time-series data, 2023–24.
These ratios are the standard, size-independent way to read a council's finances, which is why we use them instead of raw dollar totals. Hunter's Hill met 4 of the 9 benchmarks in 2023–24. The OLG classifies it as a metropolitan council, so it is benchmarked at under 5% for rates outstanding; regional and rural councils are benchmarked at under 10%. As the smallest NSW LGA by area with a small rates base, Hunter's Hill has previously sought IPART-approved special rate variations (see 'Rates & fees'). The OLG's 2024–25 time-series shows the infrastructure ratios improving: backlog 3.7%, maintenance 125.6%, renewals 130.8%. We present the numbers and their benchmarks; whether that's good value is for you to judge from the sources below.
Sources — check it yourself
Figures are current as at the dates shown and may change — always confirm with the linked source. See the notice at the bottom of the page for full details and how to report a correction.