[Trevor Holland]

Hello Everyone

Happy New Year. Trust everyone had a relaxing break.

Have a quick question that I hope everyone may be able to help with.

Here at Lithgow Management is looking at fees and charges and in particular recouping the cost of making payments through Australia Post. At present we are paying $3.08 per transaction.

Just wondering has anyone looked at whether it is possible to include the cost per transaction in the Council’s Fees & Charges and pass it onto the ratepayer.

I know that Merchant Service Fees can be passed along to customers using credit card but am curious as to whether other Council’s have looked at passing other Australia Post transaction fees along to their customers.

Would appreciate any feedback.

Regards
Trevor

[Robert Hay]

Hi Trev

Happy New year.

I definitely agree that Aust Post charges are starting to become excessive however from my understanding there is no section in the LGA 1993 that would allow this charge to be passed on.

If you were to do it wouldn’t you have to pass on the transaction charge for each payment method you offered to make this equitable? I’ll bet over the Counter at Council would be pretty close to $3.00 per transaction. Even then you are hurting your most vulnerable ratepayers being pensioners who would be the biggest users of Aust Post.

Also if you were going to start passing on this charge why wouldn’t you do it for the production of the notice and then for the postage that Council gets charged for issuing the notice etc, etc.

Its just the cost that Council’s have to bear for doing business.

The alternative dump Aust Post.

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