[Tracey Walker]

Hi Todd,

Wollongong is applying

[Tracey Walker]

Hi Dajana,

Upon notification of a ratepayer(s) death, Wollongong grants a 12-month interest free period to allow for probate or Letters of Administration to be processed. After the 12-month period ends or the property is transferred, whichever comes first, interest accrues at the prescribed rate as per Council’s Revenue Policy.

[Tracey Walker]

In answering your question we are with the audit office and we received the request for the information.

Last year we submitted everything they asked for and it took time to pull together which was a rush as it was a short time frame that they provided.

This year I have completed the format by using MS query to extract the data required out of Pathway admittedly I had to use multiple tables to get it all which still took time.

The only thing we haven’t supplied is the delegation for approving the rebates (write offs as they call it)

• This reply was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by Tracey Walker.

[Tracey Walker]

Thanks

[Tracey Walker]

Hi Emma,

At Wollongong we are currently up to 9.3% of email notice to customer being approx 8,055 out of 86,757 properties.

Let me know if you need anything else

Tracey

[Tracey Walker]

Morning Andrew,

At Wollongong a) Credit Card payments by internet and phone is separate to our banking contract and we have just recently as in February this year completed a successful tender for 3 years with optional one plus one year extensions.

b) EFTPOS, cash, cheque and money order over the counter is held under our current banking contract that still has a few years left, we would conduct a similar tender process when the time comes.

[Tracey Walker]

Hi Emma,
We received a letter from the NSW Farmers Association, in which we provided a response too.

We basically advised them that we have conducted an anaylsis and the provided them with a comparison on LVs and rates between this year and the proposed rates for next year and that under the Act Council would consider s601 for hardship based on any valuation increase.

Regards
Tracey Walker

[Tracey Walker]

Robert,

Yes you are correct, there is no section within the Act that will allow us to split the 4th instalment over the 2020/21 rates.

Wollongong has taken the view that it is in the best interest of the community for those that are already experiencing hardship, not to place them into further hardship and therefore split the amount equally across the 2020/21 rates.

[Tracey Walker]

Morning Emma,

At Wollongong, Council on 6 April resolved that we would offer an interest free period deferring the 4th instalment for 2019/2020 rates on all rate accounts (both residential, business, farmland and mining) until 31 August 2020.

We are considering the below options available post 31 August:
1. the deferred 4th instalment amount be split across the 4 quarters of the 2020/2021 rates
2. proposed discount (under s563) for upfront paid in full by 31 August (dependant on point 4)
3. possibly not taking up the full 2.6% rate peg (not sure what the % will be if any)
4. since the OLG circular last Friday (17/04) a delay of 2020/2021 notices by one month

At this stage these are only possibilities and Council has not made any formal decision either way as yet.

[Tracey Walker]

Hi Lee,

There has been discussion with both Councillors and Senior Management over the last few days in relation to exactly this and similar to what Cherie has stated above if the State Govt. may come out with something.

I have been advised this morning no decision has been made as yet although we do have our Debt Recovery & Hardship Assistance policy a clause where “Council can make a determination to grant a moratorium up to 90 days where a group/area of ratepayers and sundry debtors affected by a natural disaster or significant event. Applications for approval for this moratorium must be in writing.” So we are currently working through what the process might be.

But at this stage the communcation out to our Customer Service Team and Rates Team is business as ususal and if anyone is unable to pay either apply an extension to the due date or enter into a payment arrangement, this could change in the future.

Tracey

[Tracey Walker]

Hi Mick,

Sorry for the delayed response but as per Matthew and Brad, we have taken the view here they need to be occupying the building in order to be receive the exemption.

[Tracey Walker]

Hi Cherie,

Its my understanding that once the hardcopy is saved into document management system (TRIM) you can then destroy the hardcopy.

We went through a process where we scanned all hardcopies into TRIM, then destroyed the hardcopies

[Tracey Walker]

Lisa I will email you the request form to be completed

[Tracey Walker]

James we had a similar issue a few months back. Our ratepayer terminated the call and then called the number back and they answered Randwick City Council. However the first we heard about it was when they wrote a letter of complaint to the Mayor to say how heavy handed Council was to collect her rates.

When I called and spoke to her and pointed out that her rates were paid in full and our process was not take credit card details of any kind over the phone she was more at ease. Although she didn’t apologise for being abrupt.

[Tracey Walker]

Hi Dajana,

Randwick have received an email that requesting information for possible exemptions on two properties that they own within the LGA.

I have tried to call the person from SGCH and have left messages but have not had a response as yet.

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