By Danielle Kutchel
The City of Casey will continue its interest freeze on council rates until the end of the year, after recognising the hardship the community continues to face due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
At its council meeting on Tuesday 21 September, the three administrators unanimously supported the motion to continue to implement freezes on interest on outstanding rates until 31 December 2021, and to not pursue legal action to recover outstanding rates during this period.
The administrators also resolved to approve the updated Rate Payment and Financial Hardship Policy – which has an expanded customer-centric focus – with a further review to come in June 2022.
The decision on rates comes after a public consultation period on the policy, during which four submissions and comments were made on the need for relief on interest on rates.
The Casey Residents and Ratepayers Association also made a submission on the policy, in which they called for the policy to be updated to show “compassion, flexibility, leniency and [ensure] that ratepayers experiencing genuine financial hardship are adequately protected from inequitable treatment”.
Speaking at the council meeting, administrator Miguel Belmar said the rates policy was “sensible” and gave it his full support.
Administrator Cameron Boardman said the council would continue to review the issue “very deeply and thoughtfully into the future”.
Since March 2020, the City of Casey has opted not to impose penalty interest or pursue outstanding rates in arrears balances through legal action.
The council currently has a gross balance of rates in arrears owing of $23.8 million, comprising more than 11,000 properties.
