TRC okays economic measures

TOOWOOMBA Regional Council has unveiled its economic relief measures as part of its response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

CEO Brian Pidgeon has advised the council will immediately implement some economic relief measures.

Mr Pidgeon said the council would pause debt recovery for all outstanding rates and charges through to the end of the financial year.

He said council would continue to offer payment arrangements and encouraged people to contact the council if they needed to be varied.

Fees or charges for forward bookings of council facilities, where events have been cancelled, will be refunded.

Mr Pidgeon said the council would seek quotations from local businesses when procuring works and services up to the value of $200,000.

He also said the council had amended payment terms for local suppliers to be reduced from the council’s normal term of 30 days to 14 days, from April 1.

Mr Pidgeon said current caretaker provisions relating to elections meant that a raft of further initiatives could only be considered following the swearing-in of newly elected councillors.

All three mayoral candidates have promised to institute a number of economic relief measures, to varying degrees, if elected.

Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce CEO Todd Rohl thanked Mr Pidgeon for implementing the measures, saying they were “a great starting point”.

“The chamber has called for the Toowoomba Regional Council to give immediate relief by waiving fees, levies, permit fees and the like. We look forward to decisive action being taken by a newly-elected council next week,” he said.