By Jeremy Sollars
The Southern Downs Regional Council adopted its draft 2017/18 budget last week at a closed meeting at the Stanthorpe council chambers.
A 28-day public consultation period began last Monday 10 April, and a series of information sessions will be held across the region.
Mayor Tracy Dobie said placing the budget on exhibition, holding information sessions and requesting feedback from residents before the final budget is adopted was “a great way for the community to take ownership of the budget”.
“All councillors have worked closely with staff in the development of the draft budget this year and we now look forward to hearing feedback from the community,” Cr Dobie said.
“While everyone within the council team has been urged to carefully review spending, the need to provide the appropriate level of services expected by the community has also been considered.”
Cr Dobie said the draft budget was “consistent with the Long Term Financial Forecast” with a 3.4 per cent rise across the general rate and the utility charges for water, wastewater and waste collection and recycling.
“The good news is that the draft budget forecasts a moderate operating surplus of $399,000 as well as a further reduction of the council’s debt by around $1.9 million to $2 million,” Cr Dobie said.
“The council has already made significant in-roads into reducing our debt levels and securing our financial future with the early retirement of $2.34 million in loans this financial year.
“This means that as council repays its debt and repayments decrease, greater funds will be available for future council projects and will give the council a higher level of financial flexibility,” she said.
The budget outlines a $22.9 million capital works program including:
* Black Spot funded road initiatives, $300,000.
* Forest Plains Road pavement repairs, $350,000.
* Rehabilitation – Goomburra Road, $500,000 and Harslett Road, $300,000.
* Road resealing and re-sheeting of gravel roads, $3.2 million.
* Stanthorpe Aerodrome runway reseal, $700,000.
* Stanthorpe Wastewater Treatment Plant, $185,000.
* Sycamore Street reconstruction, $450,000.
* Warwick Aerodrome Taxiway Realignment, $700,000.
* Warwick Water Treatment Plant upgrade – clarifier, stage two, $900,000.
* Warwick Effluent Reuse – stage two, $2.21 million.
* Water trunk main construction, Storm King Dam to Stanthorpe Water Treatment Plant, $3.27 million.
* Widening – Amiens Road, $1 million, and Inverramsey Road, $1.2 million.
Cr Dobie said the council intended to include representatives from Queensland Fire and Emergency Services in the information sessions, to address in more detail changes to the way the Emergency Management Levy was applied to properties in the Southern Downs.
The draft budget is available for viewing on the council’s website – www.sdrc.qld.gov.au – which includes the Capital Works program, Long Term Financial Plan, Fees and Charges, and the Operational Budget.
Feedback on the draft budget can be submitted either via the online feedback form on the council’s website or by completing paper copies which will be available at the information sessions.
The consultation period closes at 5pm on Wednesday 10 May.
Budget publication information session details:
* Warwick Town Hall, Palmerin Street, Warwick, Tuesday 18 April, 6pm-7pm.
* Stanthorpe Council Chambers, Administration Building, 61 Marsh Street, Stanthorpe, Thursday 27 April, 6pm-7pm.
* Allora Community Hall, 55 Herbert Street, Allora, Wednesday 3 May, 6pm-7pm.
* Killarney Senior Citizens Centre 1 Ailanthus Street, Killarney, Monday 8 May, 6pm-7pm.
* Wallangarra School of Arts, Merinda Street, Wallangarra, Tuesday 9 May, 6pm-7pm.
Missing from the draft budget?
Two key items appear to have missed the cut for the draft council budget for 2017/18.
One is a funding allocation for the replacement of shelter sheds at the Swanfels Pioneer Memorial Park.
The original sheds were demolished by the council in February on the grounds they were infested with termites, which has been disputed by locals.
The council undertook a survey to gauge public opinion on the best form of replacement of the sheds and also placed a traffic counter at the park entrance. The survey closed on Friday 31 March.
Also missing from the draft budget is a proposed new pest management fee to have been targeted at landowners the Southern Downs Regional Council deemed had failed to control pest animals and plants on their properties.
Landowners across the Southern Downs and Granite Belt with more than five hectares were potentially to be slugged with a minimum $500 fee next financial year if they failed to comply with the council’s pest management requirements.
Councillors at a special meeting in Warwick in late February voted in favour of adopting the new ‘Invasive Pest Control Scheme Policy’ which a report by officers said was aimed at “incentivising and increasing voluntary compliance with invasive pest control requirements”.
The scheme had been estimated to net more than $1.1 million in revenue each financial year for the council, depending on the extent of compliance by landowners.
