The City of Cockburn's response to Cockburn Gazette on 27.3.20 about Local Government assistance to residents and business -
Questions:
What is the City going to do help families deal with cost of living and also help small businesses survive?
Will council do the same? Or even, can they? What effect does it have? For how long?
If this occurs, what will it mean to rates and timing of paying them?
In a time of shifting to essential services only, can ratepayers expect to see rate cuts in future?
Rates, fees and charges freeze - Will there be one for upcoming financial year, will there be any rates relief or help for the current pay period?
What is being done/considered to reduce red tape for businesses?
What kind of lease and relief relief will be done/is being considered for council owned property?
What community outreach is being done?
How will debtors experiencing hardship be dealt with?
Will the local government aim to pay creditors earlier?
Answer: Immediate Responses being taken by the City include:
- Waiving penalty interest being charged on outstanding rates
- Cancelling various fees & charges for ratepayers (i.e. dishonour fees, refund application fees, payment arrangement fees, copy of rates notice fees)
- Ratepayers facing financial hardship will be allowed to defer payments for 3 months or enter into more generous payment arrangements
- Commercial based debtors experiencing financial hardship will be provided more compassionate payment options
- Community based debtors allowed to defer repayment of existing debts for 3 months
- Allow tenants of City owned or managed leased (or licenced) premises to suspend/defer up to 100% of their rent payments (not including outgoings) for an initial 3 month period (to 30 June)
- Naval Base shack lessees to be afforded more compassionate payment options, with penalty interest also being waived to 30 June
- Full refunds given on all cancelled bookings and events at City facilities
- Sporting Clubs COVID Support Package - Stage 1 to support clubs continue paying ongoing costs such as utilities, ESL, insurances etc ensuring they remain financially sustainable during this period
- Final notices and referrals to Fines Enforcement Registry for issued infringements will be delayed until 30 June
- City will adopt a more lenient approach with infringements and issue cautions instead where appropriate to do so
- City now paying its suppliers in an average 15 days from invoice (rather than 30 days from end of invoice month).
The City is preparing the draft Municipal budget for 2020/21 for Council consideration premised on a zero rate increase. It has requested the Local Government Minister defer the Gross Rental Value (GRV) revaluation scheduled to apply for 2020/21 in order to ensure a zero rate increase for all properties. Other budget measures to be considered by Council include:
- Eliminating instalment and penalty interest on rates
- Elimination of various fees and charges on rates, including instalment administration fees
- Removal of mandatory waste service levy from commercial/industrial properties not utilising the City’s service
- A prioritised lean capital works budget favouring ‘shovel ready’ projects, with a reserve list ready to be called upon at the 2020/21 mid-year budget review, should circumstances warrant (noting the 2019/20 carry forwards are now expected to be significant)
- Sporting Clubs COVID Support Package - Stage 2 will consider a short term reduction in hire fees at such time as facilities are reopened
- The freezing of City determined fees & charges
The City already supports Cockburn businesses in its procurement policy.
We recommend that businesses sign up to our Business e-news which will keep them up to date on what the City and other agencies are doing to support businesses at this time.
Businesses can
email Sarah Kahle, the City of Cockburn’s Business Engagement Officer.
The City has also responded to a call from the Federal Government to identify ‘shovel’ ready projects. The City has applied for funding to complete the following projects:
- Jandakot Road widening (Solomon Rd to Berrigan Drive – total project cost $11m
- Rockingham Road Revitalisation – total project cost $4m
- Hammond Road widening (Branch Circus to Bertram Rd) – total project cost $10.5m
- Rowley Rd/Lyon Rd intersection – total project cost $1.4m
- Rockingham Rd/Phoenix Rd intersection – total project cost $1.6m
- North Lake Rd/Discovery Dv intersection – total project cost $2m
- North Lake Rd/Farrington Rd intersection – total project cost $1.2m
Community Outreach -
We are continuing to assess all services and we are urgently adapting our plans to include a focus around how best to look after the vulnerable people in our community. These plans are based on existing Local Emergency Management Arrangements.
The Cockburn Seniors Centre has strategies in place to provide on-going support to their Members during the closure period and continues to remain in contact with members.
The City is working on a coordinated local response around how to look after the most vulnerable people in our community.
Home and Community Support Services are still being delivered to frail elderly clients through Cockburn Care and a range of other providers in the community. The Federal Government has introduced strategies for these and for Disability services to be more flexible and scalable during this crisis.
The City also operates the Volunteer Resource Centre and will be looking to recruit volunteers with a range of specific skills in the near future. We will put a call out for Volunteers once systems are in place.