MOUNT Gambier City Council delivered a forecast $328,000 surplus when it adopted its 2018/19 annual business plan and budget at a special meeting on Tuesday evening.
The council will spend $38.4m – including $30.2m in operating expenditure and $8.2m in capital expenditure – on delivery of services and programs, maintenance of assets and development of new and upgraded assets.
“I think this is a fair and responsible budget with a forecast surplus of $328,000 and no loan borrowings for the fifth year in a row,” Mount Gambier Mayor Andrew Lee said.
“Council’s long-term financial plan indicates a 4.5pc increase in rate revenue and when growth in assessments is taken into account this will result in an average residential rate increase of approximately 3.28pc for 2018/19.”
Key influences and projects within the budget include the extension of the rail trail, implementation of the signage strategy, waste and recycling initiatives with a major focus on economic development, continued investment in promoting Mount Gambier as a visitor destination and the delivery of arts, culture, heritage and youth strategies.
“Importantly, we continue to maintain our infrastructure ensuring our roads, footpaths and drainage network are in excellent condition,” Mr Lee said.
The mayor indicated the council expected to meet its financial targets over the term of the plan and had the financial capacity to continue to satisfy community service demands, with flexibility to respond to changing circumstances.
“We remain about $160 on average less in residential rates than other regional cities in South Australia and we are still able to deliver excellent services to the community,” Mr Lee said.
Mr Lee said the budget incorporated council’s community plan, 2016/20 futures paper, strategies, initiatives, services and projects with the long-term financial plan and asset and infrastructure management plans.
“This ensures we optimise the mix of services, infrastructure and facilities for the benefit of the community,” Mr Lee said.
