COUNCILLORS have adopted Baw Baw’s 2015/16 budget, rating strategy, council plan and long term financial strategy.
First published in the 26 June 2015 edition of the Warragul & Baw Baw Citizen. Available free from retailers now.
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At their meeting on Wednesday night, councillors voted unanimously to support the documents.
The approval locks in the 3.6 per cent increase to rates, which was put to the public last month.
The new budget includes $11 million in roads funding, $1.3 million for works on drains, almost $400,000 for footpath projects and $8.1 million for the Warragul Leisure Centre redevelopment.
Mount Worth ward councillor Murray Cook said the updated council plan set the agenda of the council for the next decade, and work done during the financial year means the council now knows almost everything it owns.
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“This is a 10-year plan – a long term infrastructure plan that takes us up to 2025,” Cr Cook said.
“It’s important to point out I’ve had a long experience with local government and these plans are the best I’ve seen over that period of time.
“The asset plan, for just about the first time we know everything that’s there; everything we own, everything we look after.”
Mayor Debbie Brown thanked the community for its feedback on the changes in a media release.
“It is the contribution of the community that demonstrates that this is truly a democratic process,” Cr Brown said.
“The budget features a total operating expenditure of $64.4 million; a $35.2 million capital works program, including $5.7 million carried forward.
“We’re now three years into our term and I think that it is clear to the community that we have focused on providing funding for our assets, particularly roads and drains, on continuing to improve the council’s financial position, and still keeping rate increases to an affordable level for our residents.
“The Council is conscious that future budgets will be framed within the constraints of rate capping. In this context it was vital that all the pieces were in place to have finances and assets ship-shape.”
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My rates are too much as it is. I have no sewer, no stormwater infrastructure, no footpaths, no street lights.
Baw baw shire council better spend my money wisely.
I also pay far to much rate for absolutely nothing, an empty building on an unused block.,
Road is in bad condition with heavy truck traffic, no place for people to walk. Horrendous noise from train passing by, native strips not cared for, overgrown trees etc, so one can enter ones own property, which needs major machinery to clear, counsel does not respond to request, only demands heavy rates, what does it take to get help?
The Warragul Arts Centre should be sold off as that is not a core business for the Council. My rates should not be used to finance the Arts as that is a choice made by people to be entertained.
Hard to disagree with Geoff. But I would be interested to know if anything was changed in the Budget as a result of the “consultation”. Otherwise it was just a token exercise to pretend to listen.
Like Geoff, I have no basic facilities at all although I have the same rate structure as someone in Warragul. Although I am in a town, vehicle access to my home is through a muddy bog in winter. There has to be a case for isolated centres having a lower rate structure based on the general absence of local government services I use Latrobe City community facilities as they are closer!
AND I QUOTE ..Mount Worth ward Councillor Murray Cook said the updated council plan set the agenda of the council for the next decade, and work done during the financial year means the council now knows almost everything it owns. I thout The People own it as they pay Rates.
Also as a resident of Drouin ,i do NOT think the Rates are affordable as Mr Cook Says, I came hear returning to my Birth place to get away from CITY and retire with my wife as I am sure as the large part of population in Druin are over 45 to 60+ ,we are on low income and now pay over $50.00 a week in Rates for our home ,Its Just Like Paying Rent Again after working hard all our lives paying the house off it’s just like we own nothing again. Second Highest Rate Payer in Victoria ,I THINK…Not Happy JAN.
it appears once again that the council and it councillors are not listening to the ratepayers irrespective of the so called feed back from them , the days of knowing and regulary seeing your elected councillors are gone , they so out of touch with the public , ratepayers can only absorb so much especially if they are pensioners, bring on the next council election