Council waives $264k in fees for Alice Springs ratepayers, will consider whether to extend relief at tonight’s meeting

MORE than $264,000 in council fees have been waived for Alice Springs ratepayers this year to provide financial relief during the pandemic, and council will consider whether to extend those concessions at a meeting on Tuesday.

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MORE than $264,000 in council fees have been waived for Alice Springs ratepayers this year to provide financial relief during the pandemic.

Additionally, more than $336,000 fees have been deferred for residents and businesses.

At Alice Springs Town Council’s May ordinary meeting, the council approved a Pandemic Financial Hardship Assistance policy making financial relief available for all ratepayers in the Alice Springs municipality in the form of refunds, waivers, deferrals and payment plan options, subject to circumstances.

Governance manager Jodie Summers said the policies gave financial relief for residential and commercial ratepayers affected by the impacts of COVID-19 such as job losses, low or no trade, unplanned business adaptation measures and business closures.

The Alice Springs Town Council will discuss financial relief policies at a meeting tonight.

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The cost of residential concessions is funded from the council’s $5m COVID-19 Reserve where $1m was allocated for non-commercial hardship.

The cost of commercial concessions is mostly offset by the NT government’s Special Community Assistance and Local Employment (SCALE) program funding.

“While community life is returning to some form of normalcy, the time frame and impacts of COVID-19 remain uncertain,” Ms Summers said.

“SCALE funding was required to be spent by 30 September 2020 however discussions are underway with NTG considering an extension to this deadline.

“Council will need to assess the uptake of concessions and determine whether to continue with the policy in its current or modified state once the new deadline for SCALE funding expense is known.”

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The matter is listed on council’s agenda for tonight’s ordinary meeting, with a recommendation council’s Public Benefit Concessions Policy remaining in place for the moment.