By Alesha Capone
BRIMBANK residents suffering from financial hardship, who have interest building up on their council rates debt, will soon be offered some respite.
The Brimbank City Council administrators last week voted to adopt a hardship policy, to consider applications from residents to waive interest on rates and charges.
The policy will apply to owners and occupiers of residential properties faced with unemployment, sickness or injury, family dissolution and low incomes.
The council administrators, including Joanne Anderson, said they were keen to improve infrastructure within the municipality but also wanted to keep rates as low as possible for those “doing it tough”.
“It’s clearly very important for this sort of policy to come forward in the chamber,” Ms Anderson said.
“This type of policy is very real and very needed in our community.”
The council’s report into the hardship policy said “from time to time the council will receive requests to waive interest charges”.
“In developing this policy Brimbank City Council considered the demographic make up of the municipality and took to consideration that almost 25 per cent of residential properties receive a government rebate on their rates and charges,” the report said.
“Brimbank City Council recognises there are cases of genuine financial hardship requiring respect and compassion in special circumstances.”
Under the hardship policy the council will consider “applications for waiving or suspending interest on debts on rates and charges” on a case-by-case basis, but will not consider cancelling the amount owed.
If the council accepts a resident’s hardship application, they will be required to agree to a payment plan and keep to it.
The report predicted the council could lose about $7000 in revenue per year as a result of the decision.
