The City of Cockburn's response to Cockburn Gazette on 28.4.2020 re: City appeal for federal funding during COVID-19 pandemic.
Question: Will the City of Cockburn follow the Cities of Melville and East Fremantle’s leads (if they have not done so already)?
Answer: Like all members of the South West Group, City of Cockburn Mayor Logan Howlett has written to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, and to the Ministers for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications.
The letter recommends the Federal Government expand the use of the existing Financial Assistance Grants with Local Government Authorities as the delivery partner to further stimulate Australia’s economic recovery during the COVID-19 recovery phase.
The recommendation is to treble the amount of FA Grants funding delivered to Local Governments across Australia, and to maintain the increase for the 2021/22 financial year, before assessing the appropriateness of scaling back the increased grant funding to pre COVID-19 levels.
“The FA Grants program should continue to operate on the principle that “both components of the grant are untied in the hands of local government, allowing councils to spend the grants according to local priorities.” This principle allows Local Governments to focus use of the funds in the most effective way based on their local context and challenges,” Mayor Logan Howlett said.
“Local Governments are best place to understand the areas of their communities most affected by COVID-19 and the FA Grants enable Local Governments to respond swiftly and effectively with the goal of stimulating local economic and employment activity.”
Question: Does the City have a set budget to fight the COVID-19 pandemic?
Answer: At its April Council meeting, Council allocated an initial $50,000 to fund immediate response costs. Additionally, existing grants programs have been modified to provide immediate support to sporting clubs (COVID Support Package Stage 1). Council also amended its budget to reflect lower revenues in line with its decision to waive a forecast $75,000 in rates penalty interest to the end of the financial year.
Question: Does the City need a council resolution to enact further levels of support?
Answer: Also at its April meeting, Council adopted a number of financial support measures to be included in the drafting of the 2020/21 budget:
- A zero percentage average increase to rates
- Freezing of all City determined fees and charges at 2019/2020 levels;
- Eliminating instalment and penalty interest on rates as well as other associated fees and charges
- Removing the mandatory waste service levy from those commercial/ industrial properties not using the City’s waste service
- Including a Sporting Clubs COVID Support Package – Stage 2, which will provide short term hire fee relief or reduction for when the City’s facilities are reopened, and
- Providing options for rent relief to tenants of City owned or controlled premises, commensurate with demonstrated COVID-19 impacts.
These and any other financial measures further developed will need to be ratified by Council at the time the 2020/21 budget is adopted. However, the City continues to provide support to the community using existing and diverted resources (e.g. Vulnerable Communities Plan).
Question: Are they City doing anything to push for JobKeeper for local government?
Answer: The City has sought the support of Fremantle MHR Josh Wilson who has approached the federal government on behalf of his constituents.
Question: Are you able to disclose the numbers of casuals at the City who are currently without work (i.e. those who have not been redistributed to work in other areas)?
Answer: About 240 casual staff are stood down on pay. About 35 have been redeployed to the City’s COVID-19 telephone helpline, and parks and gardens teams and other business units, on an as needs or ad hoc basis. Casuals, as with all City employees stood down on pay or required to work from home, must complete online learning modules as part of their employment conditions during the pandemic.