Council to Waive Rent from Community Groups and Sports Clubs

An extension of the current rent waiver for local community and sporting organisations that rent facilities from Coffs Harbour City Council will be provided for the three months from 1 July 2020 to 30 September 2020 as part of further COVID-19 relief measures.

“While some public safety restrictions have been eased by the NSW Government and have allowed many local businesses to reopen – and we’re seeing some very encouraging numbers of people choosing Coffs Harbour for holidays and breaks – no one can be in any doubt that this crisis is continuing to bite hard,” said Coffs Harbour Mayor Councillor Denise Knight.

“So anything further Council can do to help the community is welcome and I’m glad we are able to offer this rent relief on top of the measures we brought in earlier this year through our Local Business Support Plan.”

Council also resolved that its commercial and airport tenants should be assessed for waivers on part or all of their rent on a case-by-case basis depending on the impact that the ongoing pandemic is having on their individual businesses.

In March, the Mayor introduced a Local Business Support Plan to help the local economy and wider community. The measures included:

Encouraging everyone to buy local and support local business #buylocal #supportlocal; Applying loan repayment relief for existing loans to community groups. Council buying goods and services from local businesses; Amending Council’s ‘Rates, Charges and Fees – Financial Hardship Policy’ to apply to non-residential properties; Suspending new debt recovery actions for outstanding accounts where financial hardship is evident; Extending the due date for the first rates instalment from 31 August 2020 to 30 September 2020; Removing account keeping fees, late and reminder fees and credit card surcharges; and Deferring the 2020/21 Special Rate for city centre businesses and associated infrastructure works to the same value.

Council staff have also worked closely with local businesses and the tourism sector on providing access to online workshops, grants information, business experts and other support to help them through the pandemic.