Counties will bolster their revenue collections by maximising on property rates should the proposed National Rating Bill currently in Parliament sail through.

Lands Cabinet Secretary Zachariah Njeru said the proposed law is intended to assist counties maximise on revenue from property rates.

He was speaking in Mombasa where he was attending a joint retreat with members of Parliament’s Committee on Lands and officials of the Ministry of Lands, National Lands Commission and the National Treasury.

“We have had various engagements but most importantly, is the National Rating Bill which we believe will help counties increase their revenue collections,” Njeru (pictured centre) said.

Deputy Director Lands and Housing Hubert Were said property rates are a source of reliable revenue because the size of land does not change.

“Unlike businesses which can close, land does not change. If properly handled, property rates can generate between 15 and 21 per cent of County’s own source revenue,” Were said.

Senior Deputy Director in the National Treasury Josephine Kanyi said property rates had been identified as the highest revenue potential for counties.

She, however, said this has not been the case as revenue from property rates in most counties had been outperformed by other revenue streams

The bill seeks to provide a uniform law to be used by the regional administrations for a better collection of land rates.