Council commits to additional COVID-19 relief measures

Council commits to additional COVID-19 relief measures

Published on 28 August 2020

Mildura Rural City Council will provide up to $845,000 worth of immediate financial support to help ease the burden COVID-19 has had on our community and economy.

Councillors endorsed the new relief package at this week’s Ordinary Council Meeting, bringing the organisation’s total COVID-19 relief and recovery commitment to more than $2.2 million.

The new COVID-19 Relief and Support Package will deliver direct assistance to businesses, households and sporting and community organisations to help them to recover and get back to usual activities.

Mildura Mayor Simon Clemence said the package recognised the enormous strain locals were facing due to forced closures and restrictions in response to COVID-19.

“These lockdowns, particularly this latest Stage 3 lockdown, have devastated many sectors of our business community, and those impacts then reverberate throughout our region,” Cr Clemence said.

“This support package - the majority of which is on top of the $1.5 million Community Recovery Fund we’ve already announced - will ensure we can help those doing it tough now.

“Importantly, it also ensures we have significant funds available to help in our community’s longer term fight to recover from the economic and social impacts of the pandemic.”

The $845,000 COVID-19 Relief and Support Package includes a range of measures to provide direct assistance to community groups, businesses and ratepayers across the Council area.

Support for business (valued at $539,000)

203 businesses will have their 2021 Footpath Trading Permit renewal fees waived 786 establishments will have their 2021 Food Premises Registration renewal fees waived Up to 23 eligible commercial tenants arrangements with Council will have their 2020/21 lease and licence fees waived A dedicated marketing campaign to encourage spending and investment in local business will be implemented.

Support for ratepayers ($215,000)

Interest accrued on overdue rates from 1 March 2020 will be waived up until 31 December 2020 for eligible ratepayers (including residential, business and commercial categories) experiencing financial hardship. This will apply automatically to those ratepayers who have already registered their financial hardship due to COVID-19. Registrations remain open.

Support for community groups ($91,000)

2020/21 rates for 86 different community groups, sporting clubs and organisations will be waived 2020/21 lease and licence fees will be waived for 103 community and cultural groups.

Councillors also voted to establish an Events Funding and Support Recovery Fund at this week’s meeting to provide a quick turnaround grants program for event organisers.  The grants are designed to stimulate the local economy and support the community and visitors to engage in local events when restrictions allow.

Cr Clemence said staff from across Council were also continuing to work with local residents, groups and clubs, as well as key local, state and national support agencies on broader and longer term relief and recovery measures.

“Each business that is either forced to close its doors, or severely limit its trade, has a direct impact on jobs and spending in other areas in our community,” he said.

“It means that a business owner may need to cut back on his or her everyday spending in other sectors due to loss of income, and the same would obviously apply to those who’ve sadly lost their job.

“These impacts will flow throughout our community for some time, which is why we’ve introduced these immediate measures now, while ensuring we still have significant reserves to support the longer term recovery.”

For more information about these measures and the support you may be entitled to, visit mildura.vic.gov.au/Coronavirus

ENDS