2017-03-07 Services & Organisation Committee Agenda

SERVICES & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                 7 MARCH 2017


2.    Rate Concessions

Details of the Council pensioner concessions granted on the January 2017 levy are set out
below.

                                          Maximum Rebate
Type of Council Concession                                         Properties             Amount
                                                (1/2 year)
Maximum/Sole Owner                                $115.00               1,235            $140,217
Maximum/Joint Owners                               $90.00               1,225            $103,201
Not Maximum/Sole Owner                             $57.50                 769             $43,471
Not Maximum/Joint Owners                           $32.50               1,161             $36,425
Total                                                                   4,390            $323,314

In addition to the pensioner concessions Council allowed general rate concessions on 50
properties totalling $60,496.

Details of the pensioner concessions funded by the State Government are as follows:

State Government Rebates                                            Properties            Amount
General Rates & Charges                                                 4,636            $450,829
State Emergency Management Levy                                         4,636             $74,054

3.    Payment Preferences and Arrangements to Pay
Bpay continues to be the most popular payment option, accounting for 58% of all payments
received, followed by over the counter payments (including cheques mailed into Council) at 11%.
Payments at Australia Post offices account for a further 9%, automated phone payments total
8%, and online payments and direct debit representing 7% each.
There are currently 447 properties that have made an arrangement to pay their current rates in
accordance with section 2.5.2 of the Revenue Statement, representing $308k of the outstanding
rates and charges.

4.    Further Recovery Action
In December 2016 a further 26 properties (with a combined debt of $311,239) were referred to
Council’s debt collector given all previous attempts by Council staff to recover the money owed to
Council had failed. Further recovery action was put on hold during the January levy period and
the properties will now be reviewed to determine which properties will be subject to further
recovery action.

Previous Council Consideration
Nil

Finance & Risk
Rates and charges is the most significant income stream for Council with funds collected used to
deliver Council services to the community.
There are no properties where the outstanding rates and charges are close to the rateable value
of the land, consequently there is no risk of any rates and charges currently being provisioned as
bad debts.

Consultation

External Consultation - Community & Stakeholder
Nil

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