COVID-19 Rebound and Recovery

HAVE YOUR SAY ABOUT THE CITY'S COVID-19 REBOUND AND RECOVERY BELOW
DUE 10 MAY 2020 AT 5PM

COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on many of the sectors that are critical to a thriving capital city. The impacts are likely to be felt for many years. The City of Perth is currently putting together a plan to assist our community, businesses and stakeholders to rebound from COVID-19 and provide the best opportunity to thrive and prosper in the future.

The Commissioners of the City of Perth are seeking your input into our rebound and recovery planning and want you to tell us how we can help you and what we should focus on over the next 12-36 months.

We understand that we’ve engaged with you a lot in the past six months on strategies, events, community services and retail sector support but COVID-19 has changed the game for everyone. By filling in the short survey below, you will be providing valuable input into the City’s 2020/21 operating budget and projects so that we can focus on the key elements needed to get Perth thriving again.

The City has in recent years carried around $25 million in operating projects in each financial year. (This figure excludes capital works projects and staff salaries.) It is anticipated that in FY20/21 the City will be in a position to afford $18 million on operating projects. As a result, we need to focus on projects that will have the most impact on assisting the recovery and rebound from COVID-19. Some existing projects may need to be scaled up, down or discontinued completely to prioritise projects that will provide the most value to recovery and rebound efforts.

Why is the operating projects budget being reduced? The City is experiencing large reductions in revenue due to COVID-19. Whilst the City enjoys a sound financial position underpinned by low borrowings and strong reserve funds we do need to review our entire cost base to ensure the City and stakeholders can recover in a stronger position than we entered this crisis.

The current suite of measures totalling $18 million announced by Commissioners in March (separate to the $18 million identified for FY20/21) have already been or are being implemented and include:

• 0% rate increase in municipal rates and charges, including sanitation and waste charges in 2020/21

• Suspension of lease and rental payments for three months to tenants leasing City of Perth owned property.

• Rent only suspension for three (3) months effective April 1 2020 to June 30 2020

• Outgoings are not included in the rent relief

• Bank guarantees will be relinquished

• $10 flat rate all day parking in 34 CPP carparks

• No fee payable on street parking

• A full refund on all cancelled bookings at City of Perth managed properties or facilities

• Shorter payment terms for creditors, reduced from 30 days to 15 days

• Debtors experiencing hardship will receive a range of options to assist in payment

• The City will waive fees and charges associated with;

• Food Premise Licence Fees

• Other Inspectorial Licence Fees

• Change of Land Use Fees

• Small Business Development/Planning Fees (when the estimated cost of development is under $500,000)

• a Notice of Exemption* in response to COVID-19 which outlines a range of temporary exemptions from certain approvals and requirements within the local planning framework. They include:

• Medical or health-related facilities required in response to the COVID-19 pandemic;

• truck and logistic companies needing to deliver goods but currently with restricted loading and unloading times;

• businesses seeking to adapt by changing their current approved use;

• restaurants and cafes required to sell takeaway in contravention of current planning conditions;

• people operating their businesses from residential zones;

• the parking of commercial vehicles on residential properties;

• businesses needing to change signage;

• provision of temporary workers' accommodation; and

• a blanket two-year extension for all current development approvals.

* These exemptions will remain in effect until 90 days after the end of the State of Emergency.

The City is also implementing some new community initiatives in response to COVID-19, some of which include:

• Coordination of accredited homelessness services within the public realm to ensure ongoing basic needs of people sleeping rough are met, including health and hygiene services.

• Temporary mobile food provision to rough sleepers throughout the City of Perth.

• Establishment a vulnerable person’s database and launch of the City of Perth Community Careline for the City to coordinate and connect vulnerable members of the community to services and supports.

• Establishment of Covid-19 Quick Response Community grants for organisations to deliver vital projects and services in response to the challenges over the coming months.

• Expansion of Safe City Patrols to ensure a safe community environment through increased presence.

• New library services, including a home delivery service, online programming and events,