Hi Cherie,
It was Circular 07-50 in relation to procedural changes.
Backdating of claims:
Section 579 of the Act prescribes that the rebate for pensioner concessions can
be limited by regulation. As there is no regulation that puts a time limit on the
backdating of the pensioner concession, the time limit is required to be set by
way of council resolution. It is open to a council to adopt a policy of allowing
pensioner rates reductions in respect of previous years rates.
The Department considers that discretion in regard to the backdating of claims
should only be exercised where there are substantive reasons provided for the
pensioner not submitting a proper application at the time each previous years
rates were levied. Furthermore, the council should take all reasonable steps to
ensure that the application is a bona-fide one (eg insist upon conclusive proof
that the person did in fact permanently reside in the subject premises at the
relevant time).
I will email it across.
Kind regards,
Matthew
