Rates burden prompts hardship review

By Rebecca Fraser
MORE help could be at hand for Casey residents struggling to pay their rates and council bills.
At the request of mayor Kevin Bradford, council officers will prepare a report on Casey’s current hardship policy.
The report will also include payment methods and other possible ways in which residents can pay their rates and council bills.
Cr Bradford told Tuesday’s council meeting that a lot of people were finding it hard to make ends meet due to rising living costs.
He said rates were a “necessary evil” and needed to be paid but the council needed to be proactive in helping those facing financial hardship.
Casey residents can currently contact the city’s customer service centres to arrange payment plans if they are unable to pay their council bills outright.
Cr Bradford said a formal policy would alleviate some stress on the customer service officers and set clear guidelines.
However, Councillor Lorraine Wreford said the policy was hypocritical as it came just one week after council increased the rates by 6.8 percent.
She said the rate rise should have been around CPI level but still supported the hardship policy and said the council had to look after people in difficult financial circumstances.
The report will be prepared for a July council meeting.