This Package provides immediate and ongoing financial support for individuals, local businesses, local community groups and sporting clubs that have been impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.

Glen Eira Mayor Cr Margaret Esakoff said as COVID-19 cases spread across Australia, there is an important role for Local Government to play in supporting community resilience, providing financial relief, and in ensuring that the most vulnerable in our community are protected from further harm.

“This Package of support seeks to provide immediate relief to those at risk, while establishing a pipeline of support to assist our community to move to recovery at the earliest opportunity,” she said.

“It recognises the critical role that small business, community groups and our sporting clubs play in community cohesion, resilience and connectedness in a time of crisis, and their importance in supporting our community as it moves to recovery.”

The COVID-19 Response and Recovery Package contains a mix of financial concessions and new initiatives, some of which are already underway. Others will progress subject to Council’s endorsement.

Financial concessions range from the ability to defer rates without penalty interest, and waivers to certain fees and charges to rent relief for Council community tenants and sporting clubs and several new grant programs.

New initiatives range from programs to support businesses to adapt in these changed circumstances, mentoring and mental health programs, increased capacity in services for the vulnerable such as delivered meals and immunisation, relaxation of parking restrictions and a community kindness campaign.

Cr Esakoff said the Package represents a first-cut package of initiatives to provide immediate relief to residents, businesses, sporting and community groups.

“Over the coming weeks, there will be further engagement with the communities of interest that this Package seeks to support,” she said.

“This will ensure that future investment is aligned to those initiatives that will make most impact in the long-term. Discussions have already commenced with traders’ associations and similar conversations will also be initiated with community and sporting groups.”