Central Coast Council has updated its Hardship and Debt Recovery Policy.
One person responded with criticisms when the policy was put on public exhibition for 60 days recently.
Council said the submission said the policy did not reflect community expectation, making no reference to the conduct of staff or its contracted debt recovery agents in implementing the policy.
In response, Council said fairness and integrity guide the staff in their decision-making.
The Administrator adopted the policy at the February 27 meeting.
Council will now undertake a procurement process to engage a debt recovery agent.
The new policy will see a reduction in the number of reminder letters issued before legal action is undertaken.
“This will result in reduced cost to Council, and consequently the ratepayer or customer, but more importantly it will also ensure that overdue amounts are addressed in a shorter timeframe,” Council said.
“The streamlined process will provide the opportunity for ratepayers and other debtors to engage with Council from an early stage to discuss a suitable way forward to resolve the outstanding amounts.”
The new policy was adopted on the same day that Council held the first of two public auctions of properties for sale for unpaid rates and other charges that had accumulated over five or more years.
Merilyn Vale
Please can someone tell me what happened with the warnevale town centre is still going a head getting build or it’s been forgotten