The McKinlay Shire Council formally adopted its 2014/15 Budget and operational plan yesterday at a special meeting in Julia Creek. The overall budget includes new services and an $8.5 million dollar c
The McKinlay Shire Council formally adopted its 2014/15 Budget and operational plan yesterday at a special meeting in Julia Creek. The overall budget includes new services and an $8.5 million dollar capital works program with a rates rise of Local Government Index 2.6% on general rates and utilities. Cr Murphy said "Council is very happy with the strong position this budget delivers in consideration of drought and funding circumstances. The rates rise has been kept at the LG Index, which is essentially CPI, whilst still delivering new services and capital projects. This was achieved through looking at operational areas of Council where savings were made, such as plant replacement, to provide better value for money.
From Council's perspective rates should rise with standard costs every year if service levels are to remain the same. "Wages, fuel and general costs rise each year as they do for every business therefore to ensure rate payers aren't hit with significant catch up rises down the track it is essential for us to do the same but we still need to strive to make savings to our operations without reducing service levels or our workforce."
Rate payers will see new services such as the delivery of the Julia Creek Middle School for Year 7/8, Local Business Solar Project, increase in tourism budget commitment to ensure the tourist base, which directly impacts local business and community, strengthens every year, increase in refuse disposal operations to ensure that all landfills across the shire are maintained to a certain level and a further increase in the Shire's Road Maintenance Budget. Cr Murphy noted that "Council is continuing to do significant work in the Engineering space with the development of the new Shire Roads Strategy. Though this document will not be out in draft format to Community for comment until Christmas, the Shire Roads budget allows for all the identified roads to be graded, some of which have not been done for 3-4 years, as well as the start of Council's Shire Betterment Program which will allocated funds to areas on the shire's roads identified for betterment to improve the service standard"
The Capital Works Program is a total of $8.5 million and includes the essential detailed design for replacement of the Punchbowl Bridge, the completion of the Royalties to Regions Project Sealing parts of the McKInlay Road, the new Participation Space, Upgrades to aircraft Parking and improvements to Julia Creek Airport, Solar infrastructure for Council buildings, new Education Traffic Park and Upgrades to the community hall a project aptly named the Community and Cultural Precinct and essential works at the Julia Creek Swimming Pool.
In addition Reserves have been increased and include new reserve for Culverts and Bridges bringing Council's total identified Reserves to $1.6 million.