The City of Greater Dandenong collects two rates levies:
- Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund (ESVF), which applies to all Victorian property owners
- The Keysborough South Maintenance Levy, which only applies to people who own property in Keysborough South estates.
Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund (ESVF)
From 1 July 2025, the Victorian State Government Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund (ESVF) will appear on your council rates notice.
It will replace the existing Fire Services Property Levy (FSPL) and will be shown as a separate charge on rates notices. Council is legislated under the Fire Services Property Amendment (Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund) Act 2025 to collect these fees on behalf of the Victorian State Government.
The fund will help support a broader range of emergency services. For the first time, this will include the Victorian State Emergency Service (VICSES), Triple Zero Victoria, Emergency Management Victoria, the State Control Centre, Forest Fire Management Victoria and Emergency Recovery Victoria, as well as the Country Fire Authority (CFA) and Fire Rescue Victoria.
How is the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund Calculated?
The Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund (ESVF) includes two components:
- A fixed charge – based on the property’s classification (e.g. residential, commercial, industrial, primary production, and public benefit).
- A variable charge – based on the property’s classification and capital improved value (CIV), which includes land, buildings and any improvements. The CIV is listed on your council rates notice.
Rebates and Concessions
Existing concessions continue to apply, pensioners already receiving the concession on their rate notice do not need to reapply. A $50 concession applies if you hold a Pensioner Concession Card or an eligible Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card.
Some farmers may be eligible for a single farm enterprise exemption from multiple fixed charges.
In recognition of their significant contribution, active volunteers and life members from the CFA and VICSES will be eligible to apply for a rebate.
For more information about the volunteer rebate, visit the Victorian Governments Eligible Volunteers Rebate Scheme website.
Further Information
For further information on the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund (ESVF), please contact the Victorian State Government’s Department of Treasury and Finance:
Website: Visit Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund
Telephone: 1300 819 033 (Lines open from 23 July 2025)
Email: esvf@dtf.vic.gov.au
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The State Government of Victoria have a range of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund website.
Keysborough South Maintenance Levy
Developers designed the estates in Keysborough South with large open spaces. The design kept native plants and provides 20 per cent open space. Other estates usually only have 5 per cent of open space.
The reserves in Keysborough South restore natural waterways. They also provide residents and visitors with a network of cycling and walking paths and spaces to relax outdoors.
Council charges property owners in the Keysborough South estates a maintenance levy of $350 each year. This levy covers:
- the maintenance required for the extra open space above the usual 5 per cent in other estates in Greater Dandenong
- capital improvements within the estate that Council's capital works program doesn't directly fund.
Why Council established the levy
The Keysborough South property developer wanted to provide 20 per cent of open space in the estates. They would finish and maintain it to a high standard to attract buyers to the area.
In 2006, Council and the developer signed an agreement under the Planning and Environment Act (Section 173 agreement). Under this agreement, the developer would establish and maintain the open space for the first three years. After the three years, Council would then maintain it.
The size of the open space is much larger than other areas in Greater Dandenong. It would cost more to maintain this open space. Council agreed to a $350 per year maintenance levy. The levy was to stay fixed for three years and then, at Council’s election, increase it by the CPI.
The 2006 development is Stage 1 in the estate. Stages 2 and 3 followed in 2011. These stages agreed to the same maintenance levy.
Areas covered by the levy
How Council manages the levy
Since 2011-12, Council has placed all revenue it received from the levy into the Keysborough Maintenance Levy Reserve Fund.
About 4560 blocks of land currently pay the $350 levy, raising $1.7 million each year.
It is unknown what the final amount of assessments will be when the developments are fully completed but it is expected that this revenue will now plateau as development is reaching its maturity.
The Keysborough Maintenance Levy Reserve Fund will fund 75 per cent of this spending. The projected reserve balance at 30 June 2023 is $2.12 million.
As the developer continues to hand previous stages to Council to maintain, Council predicts:
- it will have to spend more than it receives from the levy
- the reserve balance will start to diminish.
Further information
Download the Keysborough South Maintenance Levy fact sheet - 470KB or Contact Council.
View the balance of the Keysborough Maintenance Levy Reserve Fund in Council’s Financial section of the Annual Report.