Council Responds To Pandemic

Published on 25 March 2020

Coronavirus

Burwood Council last night implemented unprecedented solutions to respond to COVID-19 to ensure the health and safety of the community, customers and staff.

Council has already made some rapid and necessary decisions, such as closing our pool, cancelling public events and cultural initiatives as well as cancelling bookings for venues and public parks.

“We must now concentrate on the support for the community and our local businesses,” he said.

“I believe the measures we approved last night are necessary and essential in supporting our communities. I am confident our community will respond to the challenge and together we will work through this dark period.”

The resolutions approved at last night’s meeting include:

  • Commencement of the ‘Burwood Cares’ program, aimed at supporting community and businesses by facilitating what’s happening in the area. Council will share information and updates, explore alternatives to suspended community programs and provide links to other agency programs and services
  • Council reviews its Rates and Charges Hardship Assistance Policy to ensure the most equitable assessment is performed in the event of unpaid rates by residents and businesses • Council waive all mandatory health inspection fees for the next six months and continues its increased program of cleansing and booked clean-ups
  • Council adopts a flexible and pragmatic approach to enforcement and compliance action for the next six months, including the increase of the grace period for ticketed and timed parking to 15 minutes, and concentrating on situations that present a health or safety risk
  • Council provides a 3-month credit to all businesses who have paid a licence for outdoor dining for 2019/20, once business returns to normal
  • Council conducts a comprehensive review of all fees and charges to determine those that could be adjusted during the next six months and report to the next Council meeting
  • Council over the next 3 months will implement a freeze on rents for all cafes leased by Council and will reduce rents for Council’s tennis centre and childcare facilities by 50 per cent as well as implement an appropriate rent relief package for all sporting facilities and childcare centres for which Council is the landlord, with further relief measures to be assessed and implemented by the Mayor as needed.

 

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