How The Hills Shire Got a Quarter of Ratepayers Onto Payble
Most councils get 4 to 10% of ratepayers onto a recurring rates payment plan. The Hills Shire Council, a council of 80,000 properties in New South Wales, hit a quarter of its ratepayer base in eight months.
This case study covers exactly how The Hills Shire Council did it: a redesigned rate notice with one payment method on the front, a six-channel promotion campaign that all pointed to the same page, a council-made how-to video, and a habit of reading the low ratings instead of just celebrating the five-star ones.
What you'll get
What you will get
The month-by-month adoption numbers, the full rollout timeline, and seven moves any council can copy.
A quarter of ratepayers are on Payble in eight months.
The Hills Shire Council went from a standing start in January 2026 to 11,532 active payment plans by September, against a sector average of 4 to 10%.
One payment method on the front of the notice was the biggest driver.
Moving Payble to the front of the rate notice, on its own, was the change that mattered most. Active plans more than tripled in the first month alone.
Payble is now the second most used payment method at The Hills.
Behind BPAY, and ahead of phone, post and card payments, all within eight months of launch.
Latest Webinars
.png)
Council Infringements: Why 54% Go Unpaid and How to Fix It
Why 50% of every fine issued across Australia goes unpaid, and what City of Casey did to turn it around. A practical session for council finance and compliance leaders covering the economics of infringement collection, the hidden cost of referrals, and how to recover more without chasing.
Removal of Card Surcharges - What your Council needs to know
Following the RBA's removal of card surcharges, this webinar covers what the landmark policy change means for councils, their payment systems, and their communities — with October 1 as the compliance deadline
RBA has Spoken - What Now for Local Government?
With over 1% in cash rate rises forecast over the next 4–5 months, local governments face a wave of inflation driven by soaring oil prices, electricity costs up 32.2%, and housing pressures. This webinar explains why it's happening, and what councils need to do now to protect their communities and financial sustainability.
