Thursday, 17 December 2020, 4:52 pm Nelson City Council has today (Thursday 17 December) voted to approve a series of changes to rates remissions, and agreed that they be consulted on in the 2021-31 Long-Term Plan. The changes come after Nelson City Council voted unanimously in April for a zero percent rates rise in the 2020/21 Annual Plan. The changes include a reduction in the late rates payment penalty from 10% to 5%, and the removal of all penalties associated with unpaid water accounts. Nelson Mayor Rachel Reese says small changes like this can add up for people who may be experiencing financial difficulty due to COVID-19.