Remission of rates

Full explanations of these charges can be found in 'Special meeting of Council - 19 Aug 2011 - Minutes' found below in 'Related documents'. Note from page 56 and following.

(a) General Rate Pensioner Remission - Entire Region

Pursuant to sections 55 and 56 of the Local Government (Finance, Plans and Reporting) Regulation 2010, a remission of the general rate of $95.00 per annum be granted to all ratepayers who are pensioners and who are eligible for the State Government pensioner remission.

(b) Water Access Charge Pensioner Remission - Entire Region

A remission of the water access charge of $30.00 per annum be granted to all ratepayers who are pensioners, who are eligible for the State Government pensioner remission and who have access to any Toowoomba Regional Council water supply.

(c) Additional General Rate Pensioner Remission - Pensioners within the Area of the Former Pittsworth Shire Council\

An additional remission of general rates of $85.00 per annum be granted to all ratepayers of the area of the former Pittsworth Shire Council who are pensioners, who are eligible for the State Government pensioner remission and who received the former Pittsworth Shire Council's pensioner remission in the 2007/2008 financial year. The remission will only be maintained whilst ownership of the same property is maintained.

(d) Remission for Occupancy by Pensioners

A remission of the general rate of $95.00 per annum per residential unit or per rateable property be granted for those properties occupied by an approved pensioner that satisfy the eligibility criteria for the granting of remission as set out in section 57 and Council's Policy A3/00 titled Pensioner Rate Remission or its replacement.

(e) Unapparent Plumbing Failures

If a ratepayer:

• (i) incurs water consumption charges by reason of an unapparent plumbing failure; and
• (ii) satisfies the criteria set down in the (former) Toowoomba City Council's local law and subordinate local law or its replacement dealing with water meters,

Council is satisfied that such circumstances justify the exercise of the remission power. The quantum of the remission of water consumption charges is to be determined in accordance with the (former) Toowoomba City Council's local law and subordinate local law or its replacement. Council grants this remission on the basis that to require the ratepayer to pay full charges for consumption in circumstances where an unapparent plumbing failure has occurred (through no fault of the ratepayer) would result in hardship.

As adopted by Council on 19 August 2011 (extract from 'Special meeting of Council - 19 Aug 2011 - Minutes' found below in 'Related documents').