![Council slashes rates, rent and fees by approving $8.5 million relief response Council slashes rates, rent and fees by approving $8.5 million relief response](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/5E9aiwEpmxaHU7wKAB7bK/ffd05075-6092-4b2b-9734-03e8df1cf80d.jpg/r0_316_6016_3700_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Launceston City Council has approved its $8.5 million relief response for businesses and community groups during the coronavirus pandemic.
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The Community Care and Recovery Package's key support is a six-month waiving of council rates for eligible commercial property owners in Launceston's central business district.
Businesses excluded include supermarkets, shopping centres, multi-national fast food establishments, bottle shops, butchers, chemists, petrol stations, churches, banks, large retailers, post offices, schools, federal and state government owned buildings, UTAS owned buildings, private carparks, doctors surgeries/health providers and vacant lots.
Rates were due to increase by 3.9 per cent to cover the 2020/21 budget but instead will not be increased, meaning a zero per cent rise.
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Mayor Albert van Zetten said the council's package was designed to provide help to impacted business to recover in six to 12 months time.
"This ongoing pandemic is negatively impacting all our lives, but through this package the council is hoping it can do its bit to support our local businesses and hopefully see them all back up and operating at full capacity again once the pandemic is over," he said.
Other support in the package includes:
- Waiving fees for development applications for six-months
- Accelerating a $40 million capital works program
- Waiving rent on all council owned buildings and sporting facilities for six-months
- Absorbing the cost of running CityProm for six months
- $700,000 business grants package for digital innovation and a circular economy program
- $465,000 in fee relief for businesses
- Events and sponsorship relief allowing 19 events to keep $158,124 in funding
- Community assistance initiatives
Financially struggling residential ratepayers can apply for relief under the Rates and Charges Hardship Policy.
Councillor van Zetten said the council had no power to compel landlords who received rates cancellations to pass on those savings to tenants in the form of rent relief, but his message was clear.
"In the council's view, Launceston commercial property owners have an obligation to pass on these savings to their tenants," he said.
"It's our clear and unambiguous intent to ease the pressure on small business and assist in their recovery, whether they lease or own the buildings they operate from."
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