The Christchurch City Council is allowing ratepayers affected financially by Covid-19 to defer their rates payments for up to six months.
Christchurch mayor Lianne Dalziel said the measures would give people some "breathing space". Photo: Screengrab / Christchurch City Council video
Those renting council buildings will also be given a three-month rent holiday.
Councillors living in isolation met in a phone conference today and voted on the measure.
Mayor Lianne Dalziel said the measures would give people some "breathing space" but was promising it would just be the beginning of the council's response.
She said the government was looking for large projects it could start on as soon as the restrictions ended, and the council was hoping to be near the front of the queue for these.
The council's chief executive, Dawn Baxendale, said yesterday that rates bills were due to go out over the next few weeks, and it was important not to exacerbate the financial pressures on ratepayers.
The council will decide whether to go ahead with the proposed rates extension via an online meeting tomorrow.
Read more about the Covid-19 coronavirus:
- See all RNZ Covid-19 news
- A timeline: How the coronavirus started, spread and stalled life in New Zealand
- Covid-19 symptoms: What they are and how they make you feel
- Touching your Face: Why do we do it and how to stop
- Scientific hand-washing advice to avoid infection
- Coronavirus: A glossary of terms
- The Coronavirus Podcast
