BIN WIN AS CITY WAGES SOAR
Ratepayer group hits out at rise in wages
WAGES and salaries paid to Geelong council staff are set to jump more than $9 million in 2018-19 to a whopping $136.13 million, its draft Budget shows. And numbers crunched by the Geelong Advertiser show the wage bill makes up 57 per cent of the $237.1 million council expects to be paid in rates and charges next financial year. Ratepayers Geelong Inc president Andrew Senia slammed the planned council wage rise. “Adding more employees at high salaries is not going to solve anything, City Hall should focus on becoming more efficient,” Mr Senia said. But the reaction to other big council news — the introduction of a hard-rubbish collection trial — has garnered a far more positive reaction from residents. Mayor Bruce Harwood said the three-month trial would start on April 1. He said it was likely each household would be eligible for one pick up a year.
PAY for Geelong council staff is set to jump more than $9 million in 2018-19 to $136.13 million, the draft Budget shows.
And numbers crunched by the Geelong Advertiser show the wage bill makes up 57 per cent of the $237.1 million council expects to be paid in rates and charges next financial year.
Council says it does not plan to increase staffing from July 1 and will maintain 1636 full-time equivalent positions.
Ratepayers Geelong Inc president Andrew Senia slammed the planned wage rise.
“Adding more employees at high salaries is not going to solve anything. City Hall should focus on becoming more efficient,” Mr Senia said.
“A lot of waste is going on at the moment. It is a David-andGoliath battle to keep City Hall accountable.
“We believe (council is) over-staffed already and overpaid. City Hall is full of overpaid bureaucrats who do things their way . . . ironically it is the ratepayers who pay them.”
Council says the predicted wage bill factors in a new EBA agreement under negotiation, future casual staff costs and will help deliver its “high-quality” services.
The draft Budget shows expenditure on staff is set to rise by $3.65 million to $155.2 million in 2018-19 when superannuation, wages and salaries, fringe benefits tax payments and casual staff costs are factored in.
It also shows council will cut its casual workforce cost from $9.05 million in 2017-18 to $2.89 million in 2018-19.
City of Greater Geelong finance and strategy director Peter Anderson said council was not proposing staff increases from July 1.
“All currently unfilled positions are fully funded in the proposed Budget. From time to time, we might use agency staff to fill some of these positions on a short-term basis,” Mr Anderson said.
“The city is yet to determine its needs for casual employees, as this can vary depending on our service delivery commitments.
“Whatever their employment status, all staff contribute to the delivery of a broad range of high-quality services for our community.”
Other Budget figures show council’s utility bill will increase by $2.17 million next year, largely due to a new electricity contract.
Council will spend $396 million in 2018-19 including $105.6 million on capital works; $37.9 million on waste management; $18 million on aged and disability services; $17.2 million on arts, culture and libraries; $28 million on family services and $17.1 million on transport infrastructure planning and delivery.
More than $38.5 million will be spent on council’s internal services, which include govern- ance and council support, financial services, business improvement, fleet and plant management, IT equipment, staff development, and building, property management and procurement.
Farmers are also in line for a 36.3 per cent rate rebate, the draft Budget shows.
The community can make submissions until May 29.