At the Ordinary Meeting held 28th June 2020 Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council (CGRC), Councillors unanimously resolved to go ahead with the rates harmonisation process.
The difficult decision to forge ahead was taken following advice from the NSW State Government Minister for Local Government, The Hon Shelley Hancock MP.
Council sought advice as to whether the rate harmonisation process could be stepped over a three-year period to minimise rate shock to individual ratepayers.
The Minister’s advice was that the process could not be stepped, and that Council needed to either harmonise rates in 2020-21 or seek an extension of time to harmonise its rating structure in 2021-22 and forego rates revenue.”
The decision Councillors took was to continue with the process to harmonise rates. It is anticipated that rates notices will be issued before 1 September 2020. Information will be sent out with rate notices to encourage CGRC residents who may experience financial difficulties in paying their rates to contact the CGRC Revenue Department to discuss payment arrangements to ease the financial burden.
