Newcastle residents and businesses experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19 restrictions can access interest-free payment plans for the upcoming rates notice period.
City of Newcastle extends support to the community affected by the latest restrictions by offering ratepayers flexible payment options from weekly, fortnightly, to monthly instalments.
Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said local businesses would see a slowdown in economic activity, given the restrictions and supply chain issues from the Sydney lockdown.
“We understand that many people and small businesses in our community are facing an extremely challenging time,” Cr Nelmes said.
“City of Newcastle will offer hardship support to residents and business owners experiencing financial hardship through interest-free payment plans, upon application, for the upcoming 2021/22 rates notice period.
“With 2021/22 rates notices arriving in mailboxes from mid-July, we encourage those experiencing financial hardship to reach out and contact City of Newcastle to discuss a payment plan. The next rates instalment is due on 31 August, so there is plenty of time to organise a plan.”
Cr Nelmes said $1.6M in rates were deferred during the peak period of COVID-19 last year.
Ratepayers can enter flexible and tailored payment plans, with financial planning and counselling assistance also available through the council’s community welfare agencies.
The City of Newcastle’s $5.5M COVID Community and Economic Resilience Package is also continuing, focused on creating economic opportunities by upskilling local talent and increasing business resilience.
Deputy Lord Mayor Declan Clausen said NewSkills training programs would soon be on offer, where local businesses were asked to develop specific programs that addressed skill gaps.
“Target areas include identifying how businesses in the hospitality and tourism sectors can build a more resilient business model and support emerging industries,” Cr Clausen said.
“City of Newcastle has invested $100,000 into e-Library resources under the Community and Economic Development Resilience Package.
“We have also extended indefinitely our decision to waive library fines to encourage a more positive member experience and provide additional means for the community to access free resources for continued learning.”
To help with upskilling the local workforce during the economic downturn, Newcastle libraries are offering members access to more than 8000 e-learning courses and 13,000 video tutorials for free.
The topics range from resume writing, skills for retraining, and how to start a business, all via an online learning platform.
Ratepayers experiencing financial difficulties are encouraged to seek assistance by contacting City of Newcastle’s Rates Team on 02 4974 2307 or rates@ncc.nsw.gov.au.
For more information, visit City of Newcastle’s Pay Your Rates webpage.
Information source: Media release, July 15, City of Newcastle