GANNAWARRA ratepayers experiencing hardship will receive a reprieve on their rates following the adoption of a COVID-19 hardship policy at council's monthly meeting last Wednesday.
The policy introduces an interest freeze and suspension of legal action on all council debts, effective from March 16, when a state of emergency was declared in Victoria.
The hardship policy will be in place for at least six months.?
It is due to be reviewed by September 16.
The April council meeting, which was held at the Kerang Senior Citizens Centre to allow for social distancing, ran for just nine minutes on Wednesday.
Under special arrangements put in place for the period of the pandemic, only time-critical matters will be considered at ordinary council meetings and question time will not be held.
The meetings will be livestreamed on Gannawarra Shire Council's Facebook page.