Prudent budget presented
Constrained, conservative and prudent were words consistently used to describe the draft budget papers endorsed by Baw Baw Shire councillors last week.
Recommending a 3.5 per cent rate increase, councillors urged community members to review the draft budget and make their feelings known in the next three weeks.
The rate rise is in line with the state government’s rate cap, with several councillors noting the difficulty the system posed for a rapidly growing shire with inflation at eight per cent.
The proposed budget boasts a $57.9 million capital works program of which $33 million are new works and $24.9 million is carried over from last year’s budget.
Residents will be familiar with many of the projects listed, with significant funds set for Warragul Leisure Centre indoor stadium works ($7.7 million), Rokeby-Noojee Trail ($3.65 million) and Rollo Street masterplan in Yarragon (almost $2 million).
A $4.2 million allocation for the proposed cultural precinct centre in Warragul, including a library, is included but dependant on external funding.
A pavilion redevelopment at Dowton Park in Yarragon ($2 million) and second oval and library designs in Trafalgar are amongst new additions to the capital works program.
The Logan Park Cycling Centre of Excellence is not featured due to it being subject to a future council decision, whilst Cr Tricia Jones expressed dismay that an additional football oval at Drouin was overlooked.
Whilst several specific road improvements are listed, the capital works program has kept some road categories vague to ensure investment gains maximum “bang for the buck”.
Acting community infrastructure director David Hair said an increased level of investment for roads would help deal with the effects of the La Nina weather pattern but hinted tough decisions may have to be made.
A traffic matrix will help identify roads posing the greatest need, balancing road condition and traffic volumes, he said.
A fees and charges review shows ratepayers can expect to pay at least three per cent and up to six per cent more, in line with inflation.
To help hospitality bounce back from COVID, footpath activity permit fees will not change. However, reviews into animal adoption and heavily-subsidised childcare sessions resulted in fee variations.
Expect to pay 47.4 per cent less or $100 (down from $190) to adopt a senior cat and 80 per cent more or $7 (up from $3.80) for a single session of child care at Warragul Leisure Centre.
Total revenue from rates and charges will be $73.8 million, including $60.3 million from rates, $12.3 million from waste charges, and $1 million in supplementary rate valuations.
The budget will deliver an extra $4.5 million in rates and charges than last year.
For the second consecutive year, residents will face increased waste charges. After increasing 12 per cent last year, the budget forecasts an 8.4 per cent ($38) increase for the next financial year, taking annual waste service fees to $488.
The budget projects a surplus of $28.057 million, compared to a forecast surplus of $18.039 million for 2022/23.
Converted to an adjusted underlying result to exclude capital grants and contributions from other sources, the result is an underlying deficit of $3.44 million.
“The underlying result is not a cause for ongoing concern,” the budget papers state.
It said council’s annual operating results were externally audited by the Victorian Auditor General’s Office (VAGO) and council’s audit and risk committee.
“Neither of these bodies have raised any concerns with council’s current or ongoing financial sustainability based on the current and expected financial environment that council is operating in,” the report said.
Mayor Annemarie McCabe said this year’s budget was a prudent and measured response to the current challenges and positioned council to make the most of new opportunities as they arose.
“We’re never going to please all the people all of the time,” Cr McCabe said. “Hopefully this will please most of the people.”
Councillors unanimously endorsed the draft budget, draft long term infrastructure plan and draft council plan 2021-25.
Cr Joe Gauci said every single person in the shire would have something of interest that would affect them in the budget.
He urged community members to determine if the three documents were relevant to their needs or if there were flaws.
“If you don’t say, you don’t get heard, it’s as simple as that,” Cr Gauci said.
Although noting the draft budget represented “another increase to household budgets”, Cr Darren Wallace said it focused on delivering community services and significant capital works.
Cr Danny Goss said inflation had an enormous impact on this draft budget and “we’re got to do more on a lot less”.
He said almost $300 million in infrastructure projects were planned over the next 10 years of which the state government was set to provide less than 16 per cent. “That is absolutely pathetic when you think of the taxes coming out of this area,” Cr Goss said.
Have your say
Ratepayers and community members have been urged to have their say on the draft budget.
Cr Michael Leaney said an allocation of funding had been put aside for projects arising during the public consultation period.
Whilst acknowledging “it’s not a big bucket”, Cr Leaney said “it is not a waste of time to put in a submission.”
“This is one of the few councils that actually does that, listens and then delivers,” he said.
“No guarantee, but if you don’t make a submission, you’re not even going to have a chance to go out on the field and play in the game.”
Last year, council allocated $600,000 to 17 additional projects in its final budget.
Council received 76 budget submissions, including 25 people presenting their case at a special council meeting.
Visit bawbawshire.co/23-24CommunityBudgetSubmissions to have your say. Feedback closes at midnight on Sunday, May 7.
A special council meeting to hear verbal submissions will be held on Wednesday, May 17. It will be split into two sessions - 3pm to 5pm and 5.30pm to 7pm - to allow everyone to participate.