Media statement - COVID-19 support
Published on 27 March 2020
Comments attributed to Deputy Mayor, Geoff Eaton
The City of Onkaparinga is committed to supporting our community during this unprecedented crisis.
A special Council meeting has been called for next Tuesday 31 March during which elected members will discuss a range of options to assist our community.
We’ll be looking at options to provide relief to ratepayers, leaseholders and customers.
Those options might include:
- provide eligible residents and businesses a longer period of time to pay fourth quarter rates instalment without incurring penalties, for up to a period of eight weeks past the due date
- advertising to promote the local economy through a "Buy Local" campaign
- refine our procurement processes to assure we can provide even more work for local businesses
- adjust our payment terms for small to medium local businesses to 14 days
- waive lease and associated costs for community and sporting clubs using council facilities for a period of three months between April 1 and June 30 2020, and review this arrangement in three months’ time with a view to extending it if required
- waive lease and associated costs for businesses with council leases that have been forced to shut down for a period of three months between April 1 and June 30 2020, with a view to extending it if required
- and a range of other possible measures for discussion.
Council staff and our elected members are committed to working together to finalise a range of support mechanisms to help our community during this challenging time for everyone.
We thank our community for their patience as we deal with a situation we have never faced before.
By working together we can try to reduce the impacts of COVID-19 across our city and position us strongly for a more successful recovery once this threat has passed.
ENDS