A message from Mark Rodda, TRC Councillor

Mark Rodda - YOUR voice on Tamworth Regional Council

Dear Fellow Residents and Ratepayers

I have been asked by many concerned people about the matter of the $650,000 write off. At the Council meeting of Tuesday 25/06/2024, councillors were asked to write off a bad debt of a staggering $650,000. This is equivalent to the annual rate revenue of around 215 residences. Imagine what that could have been spent on?

The bad debtor’s details were not divulged in the Council report and I did comment that we should be able to publicly name and shame the company, particularly as the parent company is still trading. I have also since asked the question about why the bad debtor’s anonymity is being protected and most importantly how the debt was permitted to blow out to the staggering $650,000 without any stop credit order being placed on the company earlier and I continue to wait for a response. There is evidently a fundamental failing that a company can amass such a large debt and not be accountable when there have been properties accrue significantly less unpaid rates debt and be sold off to satisfy those debts. I know the confidence of fellow resident’s in our council about matters such as this, has been sorely tested. I’ll let you know when I have more answers. Please don’t hold your breath.

From the TRC official Facebook page