By Jeremy Sollars
Your chance to have your say on the next Southern Downs Regional Council budget is just a few weeks away.
Councillors and council officers have been busy putting together the draft budget for 2017-2018 which will be released for public comment on Monday 27 March.
This week and last the councillors have been briefed on fees and charges, projected revenue and the long-term financial forecast for the council.
Last financial year, the council budget delivered a $5.6 million cash surplus after it was placed on a list of “financially unsustainable” Queensland councils by the Queensland Treasury Corporation.
As a result, the SDRC must deliver a surplus every year for the next several years to move from its current “weak” financial position to “moderate” and be removed from the QTC ‘watch list’.
The budget will be open for public comment from Monday 27 March to Sunday 23 April, and the final budget will be formally adopted by councillors at a Special Budget Meeting on Wednesday 14 June.
Rates notices will be issued in the week beginning Monday 3 July.
CEO David Keenan this week quashed suggestions the council would sell off significant council property assets such as the old Warwick Shire depot on Willi Street and the adjacent Rainbow FM site, both of which are prime residential development spots.
The council last year raised around $1 million from a sell-off of redundant freehold council property, but has this year also ruled out disposing of under-utilised parkland, despite a parks rationalisation study which has taken more than three years to complete.
“Council has no plans at this time to dispose of the Rainbow FM or Willi Street sites,” Mr Keenan said.
“Any proposed sale of property would be considered as part of a broader strategy.
“It should be noted that funds generated from property sales are directed to debt retirement and are not considered part of any operating budget surplus.
“The Parks Rationalisation Committee was included in the list of committees and organisations that council decided not to appoint representatives to at its general meeting in June 2016.
“A number of residents had indicated that they were concerned with the sell-off of open space and parks.
“Over the past two years, council’s focus has been directed at disposing of surplus freehold land, and this process is continuing today.”
Mayor Tracy Dobie has previously said the average rates increase in the next 2017-2018 budget would be no more than four per cent.
