Surprises to be in short supply in council budget

THE cruise ship terminal and the cultural precinct are among the few big-ticket items expected in the coming Gold Coast City Council budget to be revealed next month.

Ratepayers are not expected to be hit in the hip pocket with the rates increase expected to be kept below the consumer price index rise.

The draft budget plans see debt reduce by about $48 million, leaving the city with a debt of almost $650 million.

The budget, being touted as unsurprising, is the final council budget before next April’s Commonwealth Games. It took councillors just five hours yesterday to comb through the draft documents and discuss spending, a process which usually takes days of debate.

Funding for the exploration of Mayor Tom Tate’s pet project of building an offshore cruise ship terminal on The Spit is expected to be given.

Council CEO Dale Dickson said more than $106 million would be spent upgrading and maintaining the city’s infrastructure such as roads and bridges and $322 million would go on capital works.