SOUTHERN Grampians Shire Council (SGSC) released its 2023/24 Draft Budget Long-Term Financial Plan 2023-2033 and Pricing Register at last week’s May council meeting and was asking residents across the Shire to comment on the draft documents before May 29.
Highlights of the 2023/24 Draft Budget include $6.1 million for roads comprising $2.5m for reseals, $600,000 gravel resheets and $3m in road rehabilitation.
There was $150,000 for footpaths and missing links, $225,000 in renewal and $225,000 for rail trail crossings (specifically for the Coleraine Rail Trail).
$550,000 has been allocated for drainage trouble spots including King Street Hamilton.
Council has set aside funding for detailed design of its major infrastructure projects, including $1m for the New Government Hub (library, digital Hub, Cinema and Office), $3.55m for the New Hamilton Gallery and $600,000 for the CBD Streetscape.
There has also been an increase in funding allocated to Senior Citizens programs and support, children’s services, community planning and engagement, and recreation development.
To fund the $86.5m budget, Council has proposed a rate increase of 3.5 per cent across the shire, in line with the rate cap set by the Minister for Local Government.
Council also proposed to borrow $8m to ensure the completion of key community infrastructure projects.
The municipal charge will increase from $209 to $216 (this is a 3.35 per cent increase bringing the total collected to 10% of rate revenue) and the service charge will increase from $360 to $385 for all improved residential properties in the Hamilton, Balmoral, Branxholme, Byaduk, Byaduk North, Cavendish, Coleraine, Dunkeld, Glenthompson, Penshurst, and Tarrington urban areas and as defined in the “refuse collection areas” for the collection and disposal of refuse, recycling, and organic waste.
After the recommendation was presented by SGSC People and Performance director, Darren Barber, discussion followed from several councillors, with Cr Mary-Ann Brown asking about ensuring the avenues for submissions from the community were well advertised and Cr Bruach Colliton moving for its adoption, calling the economic environment in which the council was operating “increasingly challenging” and conceded some projects were taking a long time.
“We need to deliver these projects,” he said.
“We need to cut through the bureaucracy, and we need to get moving despite the complex environment post-COVID.”
Cr Colliton said he was interested to hear from the community about issues such as borrowing money to deal with funding shortfalls, or reducing services, or continuing to lobby state and federal government for funding.
Cr Albert Calvano spoke to the meeting in general support of the budget, but wanted to highlight a few concerns he had, such as the failure to seal Kurtzes Road, not offering free landfill tickets with a rates notice and criticised the allocation of $3.55m to the design of the Hamilton Gallery, saying “at this point in time might not be a good idea”.
Cr Helen Henry at one point threw down her pen in disgust at the criticisms and appeared to take exception to Cr Calvano’s mixed assessment by later saying, “I take a different view” and claimed the budget “delivers savings and it delivers efficiencies”.
“It spends money to make money, in that hopefully it will attract investment,” she said.
SGSC mayor, David Robertson said the 2023/24 Draft Budget had been planned against a “very challenging financial environment”.
“For a second year in a row, there has been a substantial difference between the rate cap - imposed by the State Government - and inflation,” he said.
“In the 2022/23 financial year, the rate cap was 1.75 per cent, with inflation peaking at around 7 per cent.
“In the 2021/22 financial year, our rate cap was 1.50 per cent with inflation peaking at 6.10 per cent.
“This represents a substantial gap between Councils ability to raise revenue and its cost to operate.”
Cr Robertson said this challenge was accentuated by the fact that construction costs, a significant part of every Council budget, has been rising by a significantly higher rate than inflation.
“This budget will see many multi-year projects come to fruition as well as introduce some new projects, which are essential to see the Shire grow and thrive in a modern culturally diverse community,” he said.
“Our focus has been and will continue to be on the renewal and redevelopment of some key community infrastructure assets.
“Much of this work is funded from external sources, however Council will need to borrow additional $8m in funds to ensure these assets are fit for purpose and meet the needs and expectations of coming generations.
“This infrastructure will be a lasting legacy for everyone, providing benefits to generations to come in our Shire.
“There are always some risks in a large capital spend, and while our Long Term Financial Plan shows Council increasing debt to deliver this projects, we believe we have done the appropriate planning and demonstrating capacity to manage and repay this debt over the long term.”
Highlights of the proposed $40.342m capital program include the following:
Key projects to be finalised in the 2023/24 financial year:
• Melville Oval facilities upgrade.
• Dunkeld- Mount Sturgeon Loop Walk.
• Cox Street precinct development.
New projects to start in the 2023/24 financial year include:
• Detailed design of New Hamilton Gallery.
• Detailed design for a new Government Hub, including a Digital Hub, new Library, new cinema and
office space.
• A renewal program for our aged outdoor swimming pools.
• Hamilton CBD streetscape detailed design.
Maintenance and renewal of assets will continue, with spending in the following areas:
• Building renewals and minor upgrades across the Shire to community facilities including Coleraine Silvester Oval, Cavendish Preschool, Coleraine Mechanics Institute Hall, Balmoral RSL, Hamilton Mechanics’ Institute Hall, and Carapook Hall.
• Sporting facility renewals at Mitchell Park Cricket Rooms and Hamilton Indoor Leisure and Aquatic Centre.
• Public Toilet upgrades at Mitchell Square (IGA Carpark) in Hamilton, and Penshurst Hall and design and construction of a new toilet block in Glenthompson.
• Continued and increased investment in Infrastructure assets such as roads, bridges and culverts, drainage, footpaths, vehicles, and equipment.
• Reinvestment in technology to support both customers and staff operations including a CCTV staged rollout.
• Renewal of books and resources for both our branch and mobile library.
• Drainage and carpark works at Pedrina Park, Hamilton, and Coleraine’s Silvester Oval.
Projects that will assist in more efficient operations, enhance safety measures, or increase revenue generation include:
• Renewal of parking meters within the Hamilton CBD.
• Investment into waste facilities and options implementation systems including artificial intelligence solutions.
• Pedestrian crossing and carparking improvements at the Hamilton Showgrounds.
• Cattle yard and walkway modifications at the Hamilton Region Livestock Exchange.
• Detailed design of flood defence at both Coleraine and Dunkeld townships.
Residents are encouraged to provide feedback on these documents before May 29 for consideration prior to the June Council meeting.
To read the budget papers click here: shorturl.at/fitV2
To 'have your say' click here: shorturl.at/lxzA7
