2020/21 Budget

Published on 25 May 2020

Temora Shire Council has compiled its Draft, 10 year budget and shows a surplus of $331,210 in 2020/21 and surpluses in each of the following nine years.

‘Temora Shire Council is strongly committed to delivering surpluses and build the balance of its reserves’, Mayor Rick Firman said. ‘It is most important we continue our long-standing policy of budgeting for solid surpluses, each financial year’, he added.

‘I extend my warm appreciation to my fellow Councillors, the General Manager (Gary Lavelle) and all Staff involved with preparing the Budget, Mayor Firman said. ‘This is a detailed and in depth process and frankly, not an easy job, but one we take tremendous pride in’.

‘Council are extremely proud to be proposing a $12 Million Capital works programme’, Mayor Firman said. ‘We are committed to ensure we build on reserves and maintain surpluses, but also commit to a reasonable capital improvement component in our budget’, he said.

The Mayor heaped praise on newly appointed Director of Administration & Finance, Mrs Elizabeth Smith, for her leadership with the Budget preparation. ‘Council particularly wishes to acknowledge our newly appointed Director, Mrs Smith, for her outstanding efforts in preparing our budget papers. Mrs Smith and her team do a great job and we’re grateful to them’, Mayor Firman said.

Council’s Director of Administration and Finance, Elizabeth Smith said, “Council has worked extremely hard to achieve a budget surplus this year. There are always competing priorities when trying to set the budget and this year has been particularly difficult given the uncertainty surrounding the effects of COVID-19. There are some very exciting projects scheduled to be delivered in our capital works program. Council has taken advantage of historically low interest rates by taking out a loan to fund the construction of a supported independent living house which will form part of Pinnacle Community Services’ operations. 2020/21 is set to be a very busy year for Council.”

The budget has been prepared based on a rate increase of 2.6% (2.7% 2019/20) which is the maximum allowed increased under rate pegging. Sewer and domestic waste charges have been increased by 5% in line with previous years’ increases.

Council’s operational budget includes $24.7m of expenditure, $19.2m excluding depreciation.

Capital Works Program of over $12m. Major projects include:

• The construction of a Supported Independent Living House.

• Stronger Country Communities Fund (SCCF) round 3 funding of $777,945 was secured to fund the following projects:

- the installation of a waterslide at the Temora Swimming Pool

- an major upgrade to the play equipment at Gloucester Park

- an upgrade to the Ariah Park Skate Park

- an upgrade to the amenities building at Nixon Park.

• Drought Funding of $1 will be used to deliver a number of both community and Council projects during 2020/21.

Council projects to the value of $875,428 include (amongst others):

- the re-design of the entrance to the recreation centre

- the construction of new toilets & change rooms at the Ariah Park Swimming Pool

- Improvements to the bridge & walking track entry at Lake Centenary

- Improvements at Nixon Park surrounding the cricket nets

- Renovations to the Bundawarrah Centre

Drought funding of $124,572 was allocated to the following community groups to assist them in their operations:

- Ariah Park Hall

- Local Health Advisory Committee

- Ariah Park Community Projects

- Temora Rugby Union Club

- Trungley Hall Kids Playtime

- Temora Greyhound Club

- Ariah Park Golf Club

- Ariah Park TEMFM Community Radio

- Narraburra Church Social Group

- Trungley Hall Lutheran Church

- Temora Golf Club

• A massive $5.36m will be spent on shire roads. This includes $1.2m on the reconstruction of a section of Morangarell Rd, an extensive resealing and re-sheeting of rural and urban roads and significant upgrades to Burley Griffin Way and Mary Gilmore Road. Much of this ($3.5m) will be funded by capital grant funding.

• $632k will be spent on improvements to Stormwater Drainage and Sewerage infrastructure.

The Budget is now on public exhibition for 28 days. ‘The Temora Shire community are welcome to make a submission, which will be considered at the June meeting of Council, where the Budget will be considered for final adoption’, Mayor Firman concluded.