Town Council to extends hardship fee waivers and deferrals for residents and business

MORE than $274,000 in fees have been waived for Alice Springs residents and business owners this year, in order to provide financial relief during the pandemic

Alice Springs ratepayers were given the option of financial relief in 2020.

• Council waives $264k in fees for Alice Springs ratepayers

MORE than $274,000 in fees have been waived for Alice Springs residents and business owners this year, in order to provide financial relief during the pandemic.

More than $345,000 in fees have been deferred.

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 Alice Springs, and implemented waivers, deferrals and payment plans.

On Tuesday’s ordinary Alice Springs Town Council meeting the council agreed to extend the policy until Febuary 2021, allowing more time for residents to apply for financial relief.

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.

“Council received an influx of applications for hardship assistance immediately following adoption of the policies and then later following issue of the annual rate notices for FY21.

“Since then applications have been slow with only two commercial applications received in October and none received since the 14th.

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“Given the uncertain nature of COVID-19, its ability to rapidly impact a community once present, and the low applications, it is recommended that the Pandemic Financial Hardship Policy, and Public Benefit Concessions Policy for Commercial and Residential Ratepayers Policy, continue to remain in place in their current state with no changes until the February 2021 ordinary meeting,” Ms Summers said.

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

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The cost of commercial concessions is primarily offset by the NT government’s SCALE Program funding.

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