Council spends despite rate cap

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Council spends despite rate cap

BASS Coast Shire Council residents will pay an average of $51.90 extra in rates and charges next financial year.

Based on the median residential property, Bass Coast residents will pay a total of $1532.70 for fees and charges next financial year rather the $1480.80 paid in 2015-16.

Council released its draft 2016-17 budget last Wednesday, based on the 2.5 percent rate rise permitted by the State Government’s rate cap.

The new rates comprise an $8 increase in waste fees and $43.90 more in residential rates.

“Three of the main areas raised during the consultation were for council to apply the rate cap, and achieve this by operational efficiencies and savings, including staffing costs, and seek alternative revenue streams,” mayor Cr Jordan Crugnale said.

“The draft budget focuses on containing operational spending and ensuring there is sufficient investment in capital works and asset renewal.”

The budget proposes a capital works program of $15.8 million, which includes a $9.4 million renewal program, and major and minor works projects.

Among the major projects are a $757,000 upgrade of Wonthaggi’s netball courts and the lighting project at Inverloch’s Thompson Reserve ($260,000).

Bass Valley Children’s Centre will receive just over $1 million to upgrade its facilities while $1.6 million will go to Cowes Revitalisation Projects. This scheme will include upgrades to the Cultural Centre, Jetty Triangle and Transport Hub.

Just over $1 million will go towards the Black Spot Program to conduct works on roads with a high crash rate. Agar Road from Soldiers Road to Corinella Road will benefit from funding as well as St Helier Road in Woodleigh.

More than $3 million will be allocated to building and facility renewal, including the repainting of the Cowes foreshore toilets and other public buildings across the shire.

“This is a very important factor which has been overlooked in the past,” Cr Andrew Phillips said.

“In including these renewals we are leaving a legacy for the next council.”

The program will also provide funding for the renewal of council’s drainage networks to the value of more than $500,000.

Cr Neil Rankine said the renewal programs would ensure council could maintain its assets in the future.

“Only 40 per cent of assets were maintained when I joined council. That is why the street looks tired,” he said.

“We now have money to put on the ground. We are in a position to do things we could not do before.”

Roads and transport network renewal will receive $2.7 million while $900,000 will fund the replacement of information and communications technology.

Aside from building and facility renewal, $6.4 million will go towards upgrading existing assets in 2016-17.

Cr Phil Wright said he did not agree with the State Government’s 2.5 per cent rate cap however chose to vote for the draft budget that was unanimously supported by council.

“I think the payment of rates is an investment in our future and that is how we are able to develop a caring and sharing community,” he said.

Aside from renewal projects, the 2016-17 draft budget aligns with the first year of the Economic Development Strategy and the Phillip Island and San Remo Tourism Strategy, both of which were also passed at last Wednesday’s meeting.

The budget is now open for public submissions until Wednesday, May 25 and will be adopted on Wednesday, June 22.

The public is welcome to attend information sessions where council officers will be running questions and answers to help with submissions.

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Posted by on Apr 27 2016. Filed under Featured, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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