Moorabool council is chasing more than $1 million in unpaid rates from the past financial year.
Moorabool general manager of corporate services Shane Marr said the unpaid rates accounted for about 5 per cent of the council’s expected total rates revenue.
Residents racked up $1,398,325 in unpaid rates in the past financial year.
Outstanding penalty infringements across the shire made up an additional $295,409 in money owed.
The council’s pursuit of unpaid rates involves referring residents to debt collectors or organising payment plans.
Mr Marr said the council had a property rate debt management policy in place and the Local Government Act also had provisions for the recovery of unpaid rates.
“This provides guidelines to council in recovering unpaid rates, including the ability to enter into a payment arrangement,” Mr Marr said.
“For many of these unpaid rates, residents are paying back the debt on payment plans.”
He encouraged residents facing financial difficulties to contact the council to discuss the possibility of payment arrangements.
“Anyone who has outstanding unpaid rates is urged to contact council to make a suitable arrangement for paying the debt,” Mr Marr said.
“The main message to ratepayers is that debt will not go away.
“Don’t ignore it – call the council and work with us to put an appropriate payment plan in place.”
Meanwhile, Melton council is chasing more than $6 million in outstanding rates, including legal fees, interest and prior years’ outstanding rates, and a further $2 million in outstanding infringements from the past financial year.
Almost 4500 Melton residents owe up to $5.2 million for rates.
