IT APPEARS the shire’s rates system is still causing “concerns and confusion” (Toodyay Herald, November 2021).
It has now been eight months since we left the shire after 16 years to move to Busselton and I am still waiting for the shire to return my WA pensioner rates discount to me.
This is a State, not shire concession, which is paid to the shire to assist pensioners with rate demands.
The funds are given to the shire from WA revenue – it’s not even the shire’s money.
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In that time I have been given misleading and incorrect information, issued with extremely late and incorrect shire rates demands, then advised a new computer system was being installed.
In November I was told that a “software consultant” was reconciling all the pensioner discounts and that my refund would be put into my bank when this was completed.
However, woe betide any ratepayer who writes directly to the CEO strongly complaining over the time taken to return these funds.
You will receive from one of her minions an email threatening you with accusations of harassment and misogyny, draconian punishments such as the cancellation of the discount, plus (almost unbelievably) late penalty interest charges for non-payment of funds which the shire owes to me.
The latest development is what can only be described as an act of bureaucratic vindictiveness in which the shire has refused to answer regular requests for information.
Perhaps I should charge the shire interest on the funds they are withholding from me?
Graham Barber
Busselton
