$30 rates rebate among measures to support community during COVID-19
Published on 24 June 2020
Burwood residents will receive a $30 rates rebate as part of Council’s continued efforts to support the community during COVID-19.
Council approved 18 new and ongoing measures at its meeting on Tuesday night aimed at providing continued relief for residents and businesses.
Mayor John Faker, who proposed the initiatives, said the Burwood Cares program (Council’s response to COVID-19) had provided relief and support to the community and business since March.
“We have supported our businesses in recovery by providing simple solutions like a free social distancing kit with stickers and posters,” he said.
“And we are going to support our residents further by providing a $30 rebate on their rates in the upcoming financial year.”
Cr Faker said while Australians were slowly emerging from COVID-19 lockdown, the crisis was not over, and the social, economic and health impacts would be felt for many months to come.
“Council will therefore continue the Burwood Cares program for the next three months, concentrating on keeping businesses operating, the city activated and the community safe,” he said.
“Our focus over the coming months will be to ensure that relevant information, programs and activities are in place to support our vulnerable communities now and into the future.”
Residents will also benefit from increased grace periods of 15 minutes on timed and ticketed parking to help people avoid fines, increased availability of booked clean-ups until the end of July, and the reactivation of community groups for children, youth, seniors and migrants to help ease social isolation.
Council will assist businesses by waiving mandatory health inspection fees for three months, review its rent relief package for its tenants, provide an additional three-month credit to all businesses who have paid a licence for outdoor dining, and continue to provide social distancing resources.
See the full list of measures
As a continuation of the relief measures implemented by Burwood Council in response to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic:
- Council provides a $30 rates rebate on 2020-21 residential rates notices as part of the Burwood Cares program to help ease the financial burden on local residents.
- Council continues to waive all mandatory health inspection fees for next three months.
- Council provides an additional 3-month credit to all businesses who have paid a licence for outdoor dining, once business returns to normal.
- Council continues to adopt a flexible and pragmatic approach to enforcement and compliance action for the next three months, including the increased grace period for ticketed and timed parking to 15 minutes
- Council continues its increased program of cleansing and booked clean-ups until end July 2020, with further relief measures to be assessed and implemented by the General Manager as needed.
- The General Manager reviews the implementation of current rent relief package for cafés, sporting facilities and childcare centres for which Council is the landlord, with adjusted relief measures to be assessed and implemented by the Mayor and General Manager as needed
- Council continues to liaise with our Chambers of Commerce and local businesses to implement business improvement programs to support operating and re-emerging businesses.
- Council provides eligible businesses with tangible resources to assist with the enforcement of social distancing requirements in operating premises.
- The General Manager commences the development of a program of community initiatives and events for the Spring/Summer season to support and contribute to the reactivation of our public spaces and our shopping and dining precincts.
- Council continues its delivery of the Burwood Cares noticeboard, promoting and facilitating access to up to date information on community support services and local business offerings.
- Council continues disseminating the Burwood Cares eNewsletters for business and community providing information on Council programs and other relevant support initiatives.
- The General Manager continues to review Council’s budget for 2020/21 to unlock funding for community and business recovery activities required under the COVID-19 pandemic, while identifying potential savings from other activities currently placed on hold.
- Council continues the reactivation of community groups such as children, youth, migrant and senior groups.
- Council continues to engage with its vulnerable or isolated community through targeted recovery programs.
- Council monitors and responds to the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse community groups and at-risk community members including international students.
- Council continues to provide information and resources for businesses, including links to the Federal Government’s stimulus package and any support package provided by the NSW Government through a dedicated section on Council’s website.
- The General Manager continues to review the roll out of key infrastructure projects based on a safety, resource and financial risk assessment.
- Council continues to take a multidisciplinary approach to the planning, design and management of public spaces to achieve social, economic and environmental outcomes throughout the city.