Community
20 June, 2022
More Subsidies For Douglas’ Pensioner Ratepayers
PENSIONERS will get more help paying their Council rates under a revised rebates policy.
Douglas Shire Council updated its Rates Pensioner Remission policy to allow rates assistance to be provided per eligible pensioner, per property. Douglas Shire Mayor Michael Kerr said eligible pensioners would be able to use the savings for something else.
“We feel this is a commonsense policy change that helps out our local pensioners,” Cr Kerr said.
“The new policy provides rebates to each pensioner, per property, and will save some locals hundreds of dollars each year.
“This will provide a little bit of relief at a time when cost of living is rising across the country.”
No application is necessary as eligibility for rebates will be automatically processed by Council Officers before the next rates notice is issued in July 2022.
Key points:
Council rates pensioner remission
• Previously, the Council rates pensioner remission was only granted for a property so that all ratepayers of the property were deemed to be a ‘pensioner’ and satisfied the criteria outlined Council’s Revenue Statement.
• For the year ending June 30, 2023, the Council rates pensioner remission will be granted to each ratepayer who is deemed to be a ‘pensioner’ and satisfies the criteria outlined in the Rates pensioner remission policy and the Revenue Statement, pro-rata according to their percentage share of the property
