Tamworth Regional Council COVID-19 relief packages: Carparking fees, development applications and takeaway spaces to be reconsidered

As Tamworth slowly returns to a new normal, the majority of businesses and retailers affected by COVID-19 have begun to trade again in some capacity.

The relief package introduced in April was designed to keep the local economy on track, but it has come at a cost to Tamworth Regional Council's bottom line.

Carparking fees from ticketed machines alone are down by $89,000 compared to April to June last year.

A report that will go to councillors on Tuesday night suggests a stop to free car-parking from July 1, along with a suite of other measures.

Since the start of the pandemic, the council has not undertaken any new debt recovery for overdue rates and charges.

It has also stopped charging interest on overdue fourth quarter rate installments, and that's expected to have cost the council $10,000 so far.

The Office of Local Government has declared the interest rate for the first six months of the next financial year on overdue rates and charges will be 0 per cent.

In the last six months it will raise to seven per cent, which is hoped to bring peace of mind to many but will cost the council $165,000 in lost interest.

Councillors will vote on Tuesday whether to put off all new debt recovery actions until October 1, and to deal with those people on a case-by-case basis.

Owners of 54 lots of unsold land with water and sewer headworks completed in the last two years have been reimbursed up to $700,000.

Read also:

Additional public space that was given to restaurants and cafes to use for free to deliver takeaway could also be repealed.

The councillors might also approve an extension of development application refunds where the applicant chooses to withdraw until September 30.

The deferral of water and sewer headwork charges within the rules already set by the council is expected to continue.