During the meeting held on Monday, September 27, councillors passed the support package for 2021-2022 to provide a range of support by groups and businesses impacted by the COVID-19.

These supports will be identified from additional grants commission payments for 2021-2022 since the Horsham 2021-2022 budget had been developed and adopted.

These grants will come from the Victorian Grants Commissions, Financial Assistance Grants for 2021-2022.

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This will include rent relief for commercial and community, street trading permits waived, health registration fee relief, and general community relief.

Community general relief is new for the 2021-2022 year and will assist groups in their operations with more details to be determined.

One significant change from the 2020-2021 support is promotional programs such as support for rural and regional travel, shopfront support and others.

These support programs totalled over $550,000.

Instead, there will be $60,000 available to support a promotional campaign to attract people to the CBD and local accommodation businesses.

Councillor Claudia Haenel said this support package would help small businesses impacted by COVID-19.

"This is really timely," she said.

Councillor David Bowe said the council need to help where required.

"This will help with our recovery," he said.

Council's COVID-19 Rates and Charges Financial Hardship Policy is still available for a case-by-case situation. This policy was passed in July 2021.

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