BUDGET BATTLE

Mayor, councillors trade blows over wishlists

THE tables have turned at city hall, with Townsville First councillors now demanding Mayor Jenny Hill provide them with feedback on their budget wishlists by the end of the week.

But with one councillor sending 53 requests, Cr Hill is refusing to comply and says councillors are being unreasonable.

It comes after councillors last week slammed Cr Hill’s move to give them three days to complete their wishlists.

“Some councillors have been reasonable with their requests and have been mindful of the impact on rates and others have asked for significant … increases in spending that would impact severely on rates,” she said.

“If every councillor is asking for increased service delivery, unless we are finding efficiencies, the only way we can find them is to increase … rates beyond inflation,” Cr Hill said.

Cr Trevor Roberts said Cr Hill had not provided feedback in previous years and called on her to discuss the document with councillors before the two- week period mandated by the Local Government Act.

“Hopefully she will reconsider her position and put the whole lot on the table and allow councillors to go through what should be a rational discussion of priorities,” he said.

“This idea of sending an email and asking for a wishlist is hardly consultation. We’re not asking for something that is unusual.”

Deputy Mayor Vern Veitch provided a wishlist containing 53 items, including the expansion of the Cockle Bay sewage treatment plant, installation of security cameras at the new boat park facility and sealing of the road verge on Paxton St.

“I haven’t put anything in there that’s spurious – they are all serious projects that need doing if not this year, then in the next few years,” he said.

Cr Les Walker, one of two councillors on Cr Hill’s side, said keeping rates down needed to be the top priority.

“You can put a shopping list for all the new stuff but then that’s got to go into the operational budget for maintenance, so my main focus is basic items that include public safety – things like shades on swings and play equipment, street lighting, kerbage and drainage – things that are proactive and protect assets,” he said.

Independent Cr Pat Ernst’s wishlist included merging integrated sustainability services with maintenance services crews for more efficient drain maintenance, a trial to address youth unemployment by giving school- leavers work in the maintenance department, as well as stickers for Kirwan residents affected by parking restrictions during Cowboys home games.