Circulars

What’s new or changing

• Circular 20-12 issued on 17 April 2020 announced changes under section 747B of the Local Government Act 1993.
• Councils were provided with the option to delay issuing rates notices to ratepayers until 1 September 2020.
• The collection of the first quarter rates instalment (whether a single or quarterly instalment) is due by 30 September 2020.

What this will mean for your council

• Councils cannot enforce the collection of a single instalment or the first quarter rates instalments until after 30 September 2020.

Key points

• Councils electing to take up the extended period of time can issue their rates notices by 1 September, with the single instalment or first quarter rates instalment payable by 30 September 2020.
• For those councils that do not take up the extended period of time to issue their rates notices and issue them as normal, ratepayers can pay their rates by the normal due date, however under the temporary provisions all ratepayers have the ability to delay making payment of their rates instalment until 30 September 2020.
• When issuing the 2020-21 first quarter rates notices, councils should encourage ratepayers who have the capacity to pay their rates early to do so, while acknowledging that many members of the community have been affected by COVID-19 financial pressures and that first quarter rates instalments are now due by 30 September 2020.

Where to go for further information

• For further information please contact the Council Performance Team on 02 4428 4100 or by email at olg@olg.nsw.gov.au.

Tim Hurst
Deputy Secretary
Local Government, Planning and Policy