Council recognise that it has an ongoing social obligation to ensure vulnerable community members are treated with fairness, integrity and compassion. City Amenity and Safety are committed to working with the community to identify an appropriate payment solution that is effective and sustainable. This policy details the process for considering applications for an extension of time to pay an infringement, or to request a payment plan for outstanding infringements.
What is a Payment Plan?
A Payment Plan is an agreement between Council and a community member which enables an Infringement to be paid off in instalments at regular monthly intervals.
What is an Extension of Time?
An Extension of Time is an agreement between Council and a community member which provides the community member with up to an additional month after the initial infringement due date or the Infringement Penalty Reminder Notice due date to pay the Infringement in full.
Who is eligible for an Extension of Time or Payment Plan?
Under the Infringements Act 2006 (Vic) a person is eligible for an Extension of Time or a Payment Plan where they hold one of the following:
- a Centrelink Pensioner Concession Card;
- a Department of Veterans' Affairs Pensioner Concession Card or Gold Card; or,
- a Centrelink Health Care Card.
Payment plans:
- are offered to persons automatically entitled as per Infringements Act;
- discretionary requests. i.e. requests from applicants that do not meet the relevant concession card requirements, however are experiencing, and can demonstrate to Council’s satisfaction, financial hardship (see Financial Hardship below);
- must meet a minimum monthly payment of $40 per infringement;
- must not exceed a three (3) month period; and
- are offered for infringements over $90 only.
Extensions of Time:
- are offered only to persons automatically entitled as per Infringements Act;
- discretionary requests. i.e. requests from applicants that do not meet the relevant concession card requirements, however are experiencing, and can demonstrate to Council’s satisfaction, financial hardship (see Financial Hardship below);
- maximum period of three (3) months.
NOTE: In order to apply for an Extension of Time or a Payment Plan for a parking infringement, the applicant must be the registered owner or the nominated driver of the vehicle which incurred the Infringement Notice.
Financial Hardship
If the applicant does not hold one of the above eligible cards, they may still apply on the basis of financial hardship however they MUST also provide a statutory declaration* outlining the circumstances of the financial hardship and attach any relevant information or supporting documents.
Persons who seek a payment plan or an extension of time shall be required to submit, on a confidential basis, a completed Extension of Time/Payment Plan for an Infringement Application Form including an explanation outlining their financial hardship.
City Amenity and Safety take many factors into account when assessing serious financial hardship. Factors contributing to serious hardship generally include family tragedy, financial misfortune, serious illness, impacts of natural disaster and other serious or difficult circumstances. Each applicant is treated in accordance with their individual circumstances on a case-by-case basis and each application will be subject to the approval of the Fee Recovery Officer.
*Statutory declarations: A statutory declaration must contain a written statement that a person signs and declares to be true and correct before an authorised witness. By signing it the person agrees that the information in it is true, and the person can be charged with perjury if the information is false. To make a statutory declaration, the applicant should:
Download the statutory declaration form from the internet, or a copy of the form may also be obtained from Council’s Civic Centre or Community Centres, most court houses and police stations.
Complete the form and have it witnessed by one of many people authorised to do so, such as a Justice of the Peace, pharmacist, police officer, court registrar, bank manager, medical practitioner or dentist
*Note the Infringement Payment Plan & Extension of Time Policy can be viewed in its entirety on Wyndham City’s website.