Councillor Don Palmer Providing Local Leadership & Working for You

As foreshadowed in my blog post on Council Rates verses Council Services Council last night ratified the Unley Council 2015-16 Annual Business Plan and Budget.

 

And as foreshadowed the annual rate increase has been kept to 3.5%, the lowest increase in my short time on Council and down from the 4.1% we had anticipated we would need.

According to our administration the Annual Business Plan and Budget development process has applied the principles of fairness and equity to best meet the diverse needs of the community whilst considering Council’s adopted Community Plan 2033. The proposed Budget has been derived from applying a combination of expenditure reductions, increased rate revenue and assessment of the services delivered by Council.

Adoption of the Annual Business Plan and Budget for 2015-16 will ensure the delivery of services that contribute toward the achievement of the Council’s agreed Community Plan 2033. The financial sustainability of the Council has been considered and maintained during the development of the budget.

The Local Government Act 1999 and the Local Government (Financial Management) Regulations 2011 prescribe formal adoption procedures for the Annual Business Plan, Annual Budget, Capital Values and the declaration of General Rates and Separate Rates. The resolutions proposed in the report satisfy the Act and Regulations and have been reviewed by Council’s legal advisors.

The resolutions proposed reflect the discussions held in the Elected Member budget workshops specifically held to develop the 2015-16 Annual Business Plan and Budget.

The business plan and budget foreshadows as Jennie & I have been pushing for; the completion of the footpath inside 3 years.  Significantly for the west of the city it also includes council’s contribution to the under grounding of the power lines for Goodwood Road between the tram crossing and Victoria Street $650k. It includes also $ 750k in the coming year taking advantage of the under grounding for Streetscape and Wayfinding on Goodwood Road.

Disturbingly your rates will also cover the amount to be contributed to the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board (NRM Board) for 2015-16, which will be $1.134m

You can view the full  Unley Council 2015-16 Annual Business Plan & Budget on Council’s web site.