DEEP PROBLEMS IN TOWN HALLS ALL OVER TASMANIA

COMMENT

It is patently clear that the local government model in Tasmania has passed its use-by-date by a long shot. 

Jeff Kennett estimated some time ago that something in the order of $2Billion was being spent on local governance. The evidence now seems to be that most of it is not being well spent.

It way past time for a reality check!

By Lucy MacDonald 

When coronavirus hit Tasmania's communities, councils across the state rushed to help by freezing rates and cutting fees but, with coffers bare and staff stood down, it is becoming clear many councils will be the ones in need of aid.

Key points:

• Tasmania's councils have frozen rates and created hardship packages, but it's meant a huge hit to their bottom line
• Many councils are worried about how they'll pay staff and fund services
• The financial situation has renewed calls for the State Government to reconsider its position on council amalgamations

Their financial stress has seen renewed calls for the State Government to ditch its policy of voluntary amalgamations and finally force some councils to merge.

It was mid-April when Premier Peter Gutwein and Local Government Minister Mark Shelton wrote to councils urging them "to do more".

"We strongly encourage all councils to consider their individual packages and provide support to their community as a matter of urgency," they wrote.

"It is vital that all councils agree to measures including rate increase freezes and generous hardship policies."

The state's councils agreed to implement hardship packages — including delaying rates collections and waiving or deferring fees — and freeze rates for the 20/21 financial year.

But not all councils could afford this or agreed with the rates freeze, with some mayors saying they felt forced into doing so.

For Flinders Island Council, the rates freeze is putting some serious pressure on its finances.

"To all councils [the freeze] is probably a big issue, a big burden. To us, it's just off the planet," Mayor Annie Revie said.

The council has been in "a high-risk category financially" since 2018 and entered into the crisis with about $2 million in debt.

The extra hit means the council may be forced to sacrifice some services.

"It's something we're going to have to look at. We're going to have to involve our community in what sort of services can we afford," she said.

This will be a question many councils across the state will now face and, depending on the council, the loss of services could range from a pause on council-supported events and grants to delays on infrastructure upgrades and slower reparation of things like roads and street lamps.

On paper, councils are asset-rich — they own parks, roads and buildings — but few of them can be sold or, as Derwent Valley Mayor Ben Shaw put it, "you can't sell a footpath".

Derwent Valley Council has about $800,000 in outstanding rates for this financial year and as part of the agreed-upon hardship package, they won't be chasing them.

Cr Shaw said with the council's cash flow in "disarray" he was worried about paying staff leave entitlements.

"We're around about the $1 million mark [in leave entitlements] on our books, which is a real concern. We need to have that cash available plus we need to have operation cash as well," he said.

He does not know how they will keep the hardship package and implement a freeze on rates.

"If it all comes in and all our rates come in, we'll be fine," he said.

"It's the fact that there's no incentive for anybody for this next 12 months to pay their rates because we won't be chasing them and there's no interest accrual on them.

"If everybody decides not to pay their rates, we will run out of cash."

THE CREDIBILITY OF PLACEMAKING DECISIONS IN THE CITY OF LAUNCESTON

The  Winston S. Churchill quote “Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others” that gets an airing anytime that the quality of democratic decision making is challenged. Well it turns out that Launceston is a great place to begin to debunk democracy in a local governance context.

It turns out that in Launceston at least what passes for democratic representation is anything but 'elected representation' when push comes to shove looks a lot more  like a 'two up game' or a 'chook raffle' at the bottom pub. To read more click on the link below

https://raynormanadvocate.blogspot.com/2020/05/the-credibility-of-placemaking.html

And the graphic below is more to do with 'marketing' than the real life on the ground experiences of ratepayers and residents when the chips are down.

CCOPERATIVE LOCAL PROCUREMENT MAY BE THE 21ST C WAY FORWARD

In Barcelona, things have always been done differently. A city buzzing with creativity, unusual architecture and a rich heritage of participation, innovation and political radicalism, it’s no surprise that their football club, FC Barcelona, is a fan-owned co-operative or that they recently elected a radical new mayor, housing activist Ada Colau. .

Now, Barcelona plans to continue its transformation into a different kind of city, based on co-operation and social inclusion – using a new economic model to support the social and sharing economy and limit the dominance of the big businesses. 

Barcelona City Council spends over €1 billion every year – and they want to turn these public contracts into a tool for sustainable and inclusive growth. While public procurement may not capture the imagination of many, for Barcelona it’s at the cutting edge of creating a stronger, fairer local economy. Working with businesses, trade unions and local communities, the City government has developed a new social procurement guide to make businesses become more responsible, and to boost the co-operative, social and solidarity economy. 

Spain has had a long history of co-operation, even before the Civil War in the 1930s. Now, since the financial crisis, the movement has seen a resurgence. In 2013 in Catalonia there were 4,130 co-operatives – now, in Barcelona alone there are over 4,800, accounting for 6% of the city’s GDP. Co-operative organisations range from consumer and farmer co-operatives, to healthcare and ethical finance institutions, to bookshops and community organisations.

The city’s new approach to how it issues contracts sets out several social measures which are designed to boost the co-operative and social sector further through levelling the playing field between businesses with democratic and profit sharing business models, and others “that pay their taxes in tax havens and offshore production”. 

For businesses that fall outside of the co-operative economy, the new guidelines are intended to reward companies that can demonstrate a social conscience. They are getting community groups to take part in choosing the winning contract, and forcing companies applying to be transparent about wages and costs. Big business will also now have to buy a certain percentage of goods and services from the co-operative or social sector, and introduce additional protections for SMEs. 

Barcelona is one of a growing number of cities showing the way on how we can use procurement to rebalance the local economy. In Cleveland, Ohio, they’re also pioneering a new way of working: by partnering with anchor institutions – such as the hospital and university – they can develop local worker-owned businesses. 

The strategy has created 5,000 jobs from Cleveland’s hospital network alone. In Preston, they’re taking a similar approach, working with public institutions to procure locally and supporting residents to establish and grow new co-operatives. 

Cities like Barcelona, Cleveland and Preston show that through smarter procurement there’s an opportunity to shape communities around co-operation.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO SOURCE

THE CITY OF LAUNCESTON AND SOCIAL ISOLATION

When the constituents of Waverley and Ravenswood ask for a bit of hand up to help their community deal with the consequences of COVID-19 Crisis the Mayor tells them to go talk to the State Govt. Yet, when the Mayor floats a program to help people with, Council funded 'innovation grants' the city's movers and shakers in the know get the inside running it seems.

Perhaps the auditor, the one to be appointed, albeit reluctantly, to look into the innovation grants process and its outcomes will be able to shine a light into those dark and dingy corners at Town Hall.

When the press calls-out the inequity, albeit somewhat surreptitiously, you can put money on a bunch of councillors screaming 'blue bloody murder'  and shouting from the rooftops that they are misunderstood. And that is not to mention the assertion that it is misplaced innuendo feeding of inappropriate social media. You see because they are elected representatives they must be trusted.

The Councillors who are screaming oh so loudly, Cr Soward and McKenzie, and lamenting the $30K to $40K Council is now being called upon to spend on an auditor to deliver an independent assessment of a project and process with an unpredictable outcome stand out. That this money might be better spent there is no doubt but as they say, "justice not only has to be done it needs to be seen as being done." That we will see or not see.

It is interesting to note that the 'Waverley Community Co-op' is mounting a GO-FUND-ME initiative that just might not raise $30K but when they were to apply to Council to get some help they are told to "talk to the State Govt." Oh yes the Council did help them out with a bit of ASTRO TURF to help the aged constituents avoid sliping in the mud at it  FOOD STALL.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO SOURCE

You see these people are savvy enough to have a FACE BOOK site and the Mayor's  'innovation grants' grants are for businesses to take such initiatives and if you are already there what's to be done? As someone has said somewhere, this COVID-19 Crisis is raining on everyone but it is the CBD and 'the deserving' who should get the umbrella. Deciding who 'the deserving' are requires expertise and inside knowledge too it seems.

The City of Launceston's authority in the area of 'social distancing' with a little more effort will be second to none. The distance between the deserving and undeserving is informed and guaranteed by the GM (akaCEO) under Section 65 of Local Govt Act so it is beyond question. 

Interesting this was amplified at Council's last  meeting when the Mayor rejected a call to ban the dumping of food waste in municipality. There is a French law forbids food waste by supermarkets and Launceston couldn't/shouldn't be doing anything like that even in the wake of the COVID-19 Crisis if say people in the outer suburbs need the food.

Town Hall's 'disconnections' and 'rejections' are loud and clear and the only way it seems anyone can get a message to Town Hall is via  SOCIAL MEDIA because it does not require bureaucratic approval to test an idea, to call-out recalcitrance, to point out inequity, to say that something has the oppressive odour of rotten flesh mingled with the stench of mouldy manure so strong that it makes you gasp for breath. 

You see, that sort of commentary is antisocial,  disruptive and untoward and thus unacceptable.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE 

NOTATED EXAMINER STORIES

City of Launceston in the frame

THE EXAMINER

Editorial | April 27, 2020 

Whether rightly or wrongly, councils are among the most heavily criticised and scrutinised organisations in any regional community. 

Few would deny that the City of Launceston's $8.5 million coronavirus support package was a vital injection into our local economy, attempting to fill part of the void left by the economic downturn. 

Central to this was the opportunity to transition businesses to a new playing field during the pandemic, where online delivery of services was vital in our contactless society. 

It's an area were many of our businesses, particularly more traditional ones, have little experience. They also needed help getting the message out there. 

The council's innovation grants needed to be provided quickly to make this transition smooth. But speed has almost certainly been their downfall. 

And it's meant that some of the very businesses the council intended to support may have missed out altogether, thanks to the design of the rollout. 

The allegations surrounding the distribution of $550,000 in Level 2 grants were extremely concerning. The wide range of individuals making criticisms - from prominent local business people, to small business owners - give an indication that there were issues. 

And the issues were so severe that they've polarised a significant segment of the business community, who saw inequity in the grant recipients. 

They also saw alleged predatory behaviour from a company that, many claim, saw the grants as an opportunity to sign up as many businesses as possible to boost their client base, while also ensuring these businesses had to work with them when they received the grant. 

As Premier Peter Gutwein has said, he's not afraid of necessary oversight during this time of massive government expenditure. Even the federal government has allowed Senate oversight of its actions. 

Councillors must allow an independent audit to get to the bottom of this grant scheme to assure ratepayers that funds are going to businesses that need them most.

City of Launceston backs call for independent audit of grants 
Adam Holmes Local News

The City of Launceston has recommended an independent audit of its innovation grants program, but it will be up to councillors to decide if the audit goes ahead.

Councillor Tim Walker will move a motion at Thursday's council meeting calling for the audit in response to a range of community concerns about oversight of $550,000 in grants, delivered as part of a response to the coronavirus pandemic.

 Related:'First in, best dressed' grant scheme prompts call for audit 

Concern included the speed at which the grants were approved and whether appropriate oversight could have been applied, and that a marketing company quickly signed businesses up to the program to help increase its client base, among other issues.

Chief executive officer Michael Stretton recommended that an independent audit be carried out, including assessing whether "genuine need" and "innovative solutions" criteria had been met, the administration of the entry and awarding process, and if due diligence had been applied to costings and co-contributions.

In his report, Mr Stretton said it was common for people to "take exception" when they miss out on a grant which could "manifest in complaints about the process".

"Of course, in most cases such complaints are more conjecture than fact, which is why an independent audit process is important to provide confidence to the community that their rates have been effectively spent," he wrote.

"In recognising the need for an audit of the grants program, it does not in any way lessen the fact that the City of Launceston should be proud of the work undertaken by its officers to assist its community, not only through the grants programme, but the entire $8.9 million Community Care and Recovery Package." 

The council reiterated its commitment to releasing a full list of successful grant applicants "once the process is finalised".

WHY LAUNCESTON'S RATEPAYERS AND TAXPAYERS NEED AN AUDIT NOW

An independent audit of the Council is indicated because:

LCC expends over $110 m p.a. yet provides very little detailed information on its budget reports, frequently acts behind closed doors and declares it's actions confidential so neither businesses nor the public can be sure where their rate and tax dollars have been spent. 

Requests from concerned community members and businesses are frequently met with no response, claims of secrecy and other claims in which the desired information is not revealed. As a result of these kinds of maneuvres and the sheer scale of the Council's spending, trust appears to be at a low point. Community and business suspicions of cosiness, bias, waste, favouritism and so forth can all be settled with an independent audit.

Many in the community, whether in business or not, are doing it tough in the face of income and other restrictions which may remain for weeks of months. Council's expenditures must be met from a diminishing pool of both rates and taxes consequently an independent audit would form a solid and trustworthy base for any future cuts to Council budgets or service reductions or both.

It will be easier for Council to be seen to live up to its values if an independent audit is carried out before budgetary pressures increase. Furthermore such an audit will serve as a basis of stability and rationality that will make sense to businesses and citizens.

OPEN LETTER TO MINISTER SHELTON, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND OTHERS

If you agree with the proposition being presented to government please either:

Copy the text below, modify it if you wish and email your concerns to Minister Shelton and others via

• eMAIL Shelton, Minister (DPaC) Minister.Shelton@dpac.tas.gov.au 
• CC Elise Archer MP elise.archer@parliament.tas.gov.au ... Auditor General [Tas] admin@audit.tas.gov.au

OR via post to:

• Department of Premier & Cabinet
• ATTN: Minister for Local Govt, Attorney General and Auditor General
• C/- 5 Murray St, Hobart TAS 7000

THE DRAFT LETTER

Dear Minister Shelton, Attorney General and Auditor General, 

We write to draw your attention to the growing disquiet in the Launceston Municipality generally in regard to the potentially dire financial circumstances the city, and the municipality in general. faces as a consequence the current and pending economic downturn. 

Looking ahead, we are particularly concerned about the impact that this current crisis is likely to have upon the long term wellbeing of ratepayers and residents – the business community, service providers, et al – relative to planning processes, service provision and the changed and changing circumstances in the city, the region and in fact, Tasmania generally. .

Of immediate concern is the way the City of Launceston Council is currently managing the financial collateral damage flowing from the COVID-19 Crisis and the ways that is increasingly becoming evident. 

The fiscal measures in train, and in prospect, have all the characteristics of ad hoc decision making with ratepayers and residents looking forward to ominous outcomes across the board in an environment of discretionary transparency and non-mandatory accountability. 

We understand that the City of Launceston is proposing to appoint an auditor to investigate and report on Council’s current grants program after the process in train is completed. 

We also understand that the CEO is proposing that he, rather than Council’s elected representatives, appoint the auditor who apparently will be briefed by him and consequently report to him in isolation from the Councillors. By extension, ratepayers and residents, the people who are required to carry the financial and social burdens, will essentially excluded from the process if this were to be the case. 

We enthusiastically endorse the concept that there should be an audit of the City of Launceston’s operational outcomes. 

Furthermore, we believe that such an audit needs to be undertaken independently, with the terms of reference determined at arm’s length from the Council’s operation imperatives and be undertaken in two phases: 

• Phase one, focused of Council’s response to the ‘economic disruption’ brought on by the COVID-19 Crisis; 

• Phase two, focused on the fiscal realities of the municipality’s economies and the long term economic sustainability of Council operations within the municipality. 

Phase one, needs to be reported on early in the audit process and 

Phase two needs to be a more thorough investigation albeit conducted within an appropriate timeframe. 

Against this background, we request that the auditor be: 

• Recruited commissioned and appointed by Council in collaboration 

• Briefed by Council in collaboration with the State Government in an open and transparent process at an ordinary meeting of Council;

 • Briefed to undertake a forensic audit and specifically in regard to Council’s capital works projects such as Riverbend Park, Quadrant Mall, Civic Square and the Brisbane Street Mall; 

• Briefed to investigate the application of and implementation of Section 62 Tasmania’s Local Government Act 1993 by the General Manager/Chief Executive Officer; 

• Briefed to investigate Council’s strategic purpose in regard to the acquisition of the property known as the ‘Birchalls building’ – 118 -122 Brisbane Street Launceston. 

•  Briefed to report to Council in an open and transparent process at ordinary meetings of Council. 

We respectfully request that you use your authority to do whatever is necessary to ensure that that an appropriate audit is implemented in a timely way in order to facilitate better planning in the context of the city’s current circumstances and economic outlook looking forward. 

Furthermore, we ask this given that we are increasingly aware that in regard to ‘fiscal matters’ there is a growing number of people who no longer “trust the authorities” and this is a matter that requires urgent attention given all that is at stake. 

Yours sincerely

Date

LOTS AND LOTS OF QUESTIONS FOR LAUNCESTON COUNCIL

Small business the big winner in Council grants program:

Around 150 small businesses in Launceston will benefit from innovation grants allocated under the City of Launceston's $8.9m Community Care and Recovery Package.

The innovation grants program is designed to allow Launceston's small businesses — around half of which have little to no online presence — to shift their products and services to the online marketplace and/or to enhance links with customers across Tasmania and the globe.

Originally a $650,000 initiative, the overwhelming popularity of the grants resulted in the City of Launceston last week voting to inject a further $213,000 into the program.

This additional funding will only be open to small businesses that have already applied for the 'Level 1' tier, and not to new applicants.

This funding will assist businesses who receive professional advice through a level one grant to implement their identified ecommerce solutions. Further details on this additional funding will be provided in the next several weeks.

Launceston Mayor Albert van Zetten said while the grants program only represented a small portion of the $8.9m Community Care and Recovery Package, it was already making a difference.

"We know there are businesses around Launceston who have been able to keep operating because of these grants, and businesses that have been able to keep employees on," Mayor van Zetten said.

"We're delighted that we've been able to respond so quickly to the needs of businesses that are in danger of closing, and also those that needed a helping hand to adapt to changing conditions moving forward.

"This means the securing of jobs in a range of industries in Northern Tasmania at this critical time, which will have an untold positive economic impact in the months and years to come."

Mayor van Zetten said Council staff were working to assess the remaining submissions as quickly as possible against a range of relevant assessment criteria.

These criteria require businesses to demonstrate a genuine need, demonstrate creative and innovative solutions to current business challenges and demonstrate that any required support and expertise could be provided by a partner local business.

"We're fortunate as a Council to have a team of staff who are highly skilled at administering and assessing grants programs, and this has allowed us to roll out a significant, targeted and agile program in a very short space of time," he said.

"It has also been a very competitive process, with many businesses going to great lengths to demonstrate how they meet the assessment criteria, and working fast to get their submissions in.

"This means not all applications have been successful, and that some businesses have missed out because funding has run out.

"We have limited funds compared to other tiers of government, and we feel for businesses who have missed out.

"We make no apologies for developing and implementing a targeted and swift grants program designed to keep Northern Tasmanians in employment, and to keep small businesses afloat in the most significant economic crisis of the past 100 years.

"For those who did miss out, or for businesses in other municipalities, there are business support measures available through the State and Federal Governments, and we'd strongly encourage businesses to familiarise themselves with those programs."

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”Martin Luther King.

Against the background that this $650,000 is money provided by the city’s ratepayers and residents a lot of questions need to be asked to put these grants in context. This money is not the Council’s money and it didn’t fall out of the sky, it was hard won by ratepayers!

So, to the questions:

• Who made the decision about who would get a grant in order to recommend their payment to the elected representatives?
• What information did the applicants provide and where is that information documented?
• What business case were the applicants required to present in order to be eligible for consideration?
• Who are successful applicants and what class of business do they operate?
• When will ratepayers and the unsuccessful applicants discover who got what for what?
• What guarantees does Council have that the money provided will be used for the purpose for which it was provided?
• When are the recipients’ due to report to Council that they have fulfilled their obligation to use the money for the purpose for which it was provided and on what evidence?
• When will Council report to ratepayers on the success or otherwise of this initiative and in accord with what criteria?
• Which Councillors are prepared to unreservedly endorse this process as an appropriate use of ratepayer’s funds under the current circumstance?
  
  

DIGITALmeetings at TOWNhall

WELL SPOTTED ON FB .

“It was all over phone/video conference! Official photo used.”

Radio RN (ABC) does this stuff well and a lot and what was 

missing was someone with thatkind of nouse 

Worth getting however as this kind of meeting/conferencing needs

to be the ‘new standard’ that must be embraced towards greater 

accessibility transparency and accountability. 

However, there is quite a bit of serious tweaking  that needs to be done in 

presentation methodology remembering of course thatwe are well into 2020. 

LIKE, council meeting format is positively MEDIEVAL and 

that’s a bit of a worry. It does not need to be with ‘pictures’ to be 

21sr C relevant but if everyone isn’t SOCIAL distancing   

a webcam overview supported by a website with HTMLaccess to 

documents and graphics should be a part of the mix. 

Stand back and wait for the list of ‘why nots’ in the negative with a heavy 

emphasis on the PROPER WAY 

That straight and narrow pathway that ultimately leads to mediocracy 

GO TO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wo7VoAw7MvY&fbclid=IwAR3DSHKWoz_TDdPirmUFTO3X2IAon2efY6qPvM_id4il3SxCy-0GKsI8Fe4

LINK: https://lcc63.blogspot.com.au/

COUNCIL MOVES TO VIRTUAL MEETINGS ... AT LAST!!

Due to new COVID-19 control measures announced by the Premier this week, the City of Launceston will shift to the virtual world for all council meetings for the foreseeable future.

All Council meetings will now be held via video conferencing with elected members, with the audio live streamed to the public via www.launceston.tas.gov.au/Council/Meetings/Listen [Why not video streaming to the public?]

Mayor Albert van Zetten said the decision was made to hold virtual meetings in the interest of public safety in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. [Why not video streaming to the public as the new standard going forward?]

"The new public gathering guidelines outlined by the Premier mean that the public will not be able to attending Council meetings in person while these measures are in place," Mayor van Zetten said.

This arrangement will take effect from this Thursday's ordinary Council meeting and the Special Council meeting.

If any Launceston ratepayer wants to ask a question during Public Question Time, they can email up to three questions, which will be read out at the meeting, and either answered or taken on notice.

If anyone wants to speak to an item on the agenda, including a development application, they can email a statement of no more than 300 words. Those statements will then be read at the meeting.

Questions or statements must be emailed to contactus@launceston.tas.gov.au by 12pm Thursday April 2 and must include your name and a contact telephone number.

If you cannot email your questions or statements, please call our Customer Service Centre on 6323 3000 for assistance.

"This is a particularly difficult time for many people in our community, but as an essential service, the Council must quickly adapt to the challenges before us," Mayor van Zetten said. [IF you can get a connection]

"While these current lockdown provisions are in place, we need to be able to change the way we conduct our meetings and do the best we can to maintain the community's ability to have a direct contact with their elected members. [Why is this not going to be the new standard for ALL meetings and ‘workshops?]

"This situation we all face will not be permanent. The arrangements we have put in place are the best way we can facilitate our requirements and I encourage everyone to embrace this new way of operating for the time being." [Why not permanent it is the 21^st C?]

Agendas for all Council meetings are available at www.launceston.tas.gov.au/Agendas-Minutes

LATEST NEWS: COUNCIL MOVES TO MEET CHALLENGES OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Following last night's announcement by the Federal Government regarding expanded social distancing measures, the City of Launceston will transition to internet and telephone-based customer service systems from close of business today.

To comply with the new measures, the following closures will also take place until further notice (including ones already announced):

• Town Hall Customer Service Centre (front desk)
• Visitor Information Centre
• All Council-owned playgrounds and skate parks, including Riverbend Park, the playgrounds at City Park and Cataract GorAll Council-owned community centres and halls
• Albert Hall for functions and conventions
• All Council-owned barbecue facilities, including Punchbowl Reserve, Heritage Forest and Riverbend Park
• Launceston Leisure and Aquatic Centre
• Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery (both sites)

All Council parks, such as City Park and Royal Park, will remain open.

City of Launceston Mayor Albert van Zetten said the Council's number one priority was the safety and wellbeing of the Launceston community, Council staff and those people who use the affected Council facilities.

"There will be impacts following these closures, but it's extremely important that the Council follows the advice and directives of the federal and state governments and the Director of Public Health," he said.

Mayor van Zetten said that anyone who required assistance with any Council services could still call the Customer Service hotline on 6323 3000 for all inquiries, email contactus@launceston.tas.gov.au or use the Council's 'Report an Issue' web portal at www.launceston.tas.gov.au/Council/Report-an-Issue

"Alternatively, you can go to our website - www.launceston.tas.gov.au - for the latest information on the Council's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and to access our many online services," Mayor van Zetten said.

All Planning applications currently on public exhibition can be viewed online on the Council's website.

For anyone unable to access the website, all current planning applications are available for viewing during Council's normal businesses hours by booking an appointment on 6323 3220.

"The Council is currently working with the State Government and other councils to provide as much flexibility as possible to progress planning applications throughout this pandemic," Mayor van Zetten said.

"This situation is unprecedented and we are having to make unprecedented decisions that will affect the everyday lives of people in the Launceston community.

"Ultimately, it is in everyone's interest that we do everything possible to stop the spread of coronavirus.

"From my perspective, it's absolutely heartbreaking to see our business sector in Launceston decimated by this pandemic. To see hardworking people lose their jobs, having to close their small businesses and stand down staff.

"But it's important we do not lose hope - we will recover.

"Unfortunately, we just don't know when this will happen. However In Tasmania we have a unique opportunity - being an island state - that if everyone does the right thing, we can have a significant impact on reducing that timeframe."

Mayor van Zetten said the Council was working through the finer details of its Community Care and Rescue Package and would be in a position to announce the details next week.

"That package will look at options such as rates relief for small businesses, fees and charges relief, one-off grants, assistance for the organisers of cancelled events, help for community groups and other support measures," he said.

"Ahead of the release of the care and recovery package, we've already taken steps to reduce impacts on small businesses where we can.

"For example, we've put a freeze on rent to businesses who lease Council premises — pending the Council's decision — and have elected not to pass on water or electricity charges to business tenants, and we've introduced a weekly payment system to suppliers instead of fortnightly.

"In addition, we are reminding suppliers that we have negotiable terms on any payments which may be due to us.

"Finally, I would just ask everyone to be mindful of those in our community doing it very tough right now. Be kind, be patient and be considerate of others."