Update

Council recognises the financial pressures residents and businesses are currently facing, and we remain committed to providing a high level of service to our community while remaining fiscally responsible. This Annual Business Plan and Budget is based on a 2.80* per cent rate increase.

Following the completion of our community engagement process on this Plan and the proposed rate increase, the State Government unexpectedly increased the Solid Waste Levy – the price per tonne for the disposal of waste to landfill – by almost 40 per cent as part of its 2019/20 Budget. This had a direct flow on impact for our residents and ratepayers as the cost for Council to dispose of household waste to landfill will increase. While acknowledging there would be an increase in some form, this amount was unprecedented and consequently changed the proposed rate increase that the community gave feedback on.

We continue to pursue and implement savings and efficiency targets and acknowledge the need for ongoing reform, with Council seeking to achieve savings of $370k in 2019/20; bringing our total savings target to $800k when taking into account the savings already identified from the LED lighting project almost completed for the betterment of our community.

This year Council also sought feedback on the Long Term Financial Plan as part of the engagement.

To read the Adopted 2019/20 Annual Business Plan and Budget and the 2019/20 Long Term Financial Plan, please see the Document Library.

*average rates increases for all properties except Vacant Land