Gunnedah Shire Council to auction off five properties to reclaim $18,523.82 in rates and charges

Gunnedah Shire Council will auction off properties in Gunnedah, Breeza, Kelvin and Emerald Hill, in a bid to reclaim $18,523.82 owed to council in unpaid rates.

General manager Eric Groth, said council staff had exhausted all other avenues to obtain the payments.

"For these properties, this is the final step in a lengthy process to recoup rates and payments," he said.

"Every other avenue, including payment plans, has failed."

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The properties up for grabs are located at 7172 Oxley Highway Gunnedah, Euroa Street Gunnedah, Kamilaroi Highway in Breeza, Francis Studdy Road in Emerald Hill and 988 Prairies Road in Kelvin.

The rates and charges have been outstanding for more than five years.

A potential sixth property in Tambar Springs almost made the list, but outstanding rates were repaid on Wednesday.

All of the properties are associated with deceased estates or entities that are no longer in existence.

None of them are in areas impacted by recent flooding.

Councillors voted at a closed meeting on Wednesday to send the properties to auction.

Mayor Jamie Chaffey removed himself from the chamber at the time of voting due to "close family members" owning one of the parcels of land listed in the report.

The auctions will take place on March 31 next year.

Lakeford Real Estate was selected to adminster the auctions.

Despite five properties going to auction, council has a list of 20 long term debtors owing a total of $155,594.41.

Due to current legal actions and hardship repayment plans, the majority weren't appropriate to go under the hammer.

Fifteen properties were auctioned off on behalf of council earlier this year, returning more than $165,000 in unpaid rates and charges.

The auction announcement comes after Tamworth Regional Council confirmed they will also put 27 properties under the hammer early next year.

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