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Council Budget Up For Comment

The Bass Coast Shire Council 2005-2006 draft Budget was presented to Council last week and is open for public comment until 21 June 2005.

By Bass Coast Shire Council - 14th June 2005 - Back to News

Council’s Chief Executive Officer, Allan Bawden, said that there has unfortunately been some misconceptions aired about the detail of the budget.

"Listed are some budget misconceptions that Council has identified and would like to clear up," advised Mr Bawden.

Misconception

Fact

The CEO has comitted $4.5 million of the budget on staff quarters (as part of Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA) negotiations with staff) with no Council approval and behind closed doors.

The EBA only requires Council to provide staff with adequate toilet, lunchroom and sick bay facilities and to bring the building up to Workcover specifications. Council has allowed $200,000 in the current draft budget to provide these facilities and safety precautions for staff at the Civic Centre, Wonthaggi. Adequate facilities and safety precautions are already in place at Council’s other offices.

Due to Council’s expansion of services, it has been floated as a possible future option to expand the Civic Centre, Wonthaggi, which could cost in the sum of $4 million. However, no such proposal has been made at this stage and any future Council will have the opportunity to consider this as part of a future capital works program.

Inverloch and Cowes offices are desperate for more staff and office accomodation.

Despite modern technologies making distance less of an issue, operationally it is always best to have as many staff in one location as possible.

The Cowes and Inverloch Customer Service Centres have all the modern communications needed to support good customer service and at no stage have indicated a need for more staff or office accomodation.

Council’s Economic Development team, including Small Business, Tourism and Event Management, have recently moved to Council’s Cowes offices due to a lack of permanent office space in Wonthaggi.

Half of the 2005-2006 $12.5 million capital works budget (the Cape Woolamai Special Charge Scheme) was part of the 2004-2005 budget and is being carried over – making the 2005-2006 capital works budget only $6 million.

The $6 million budgeted for the Cape Woolamai Special Charge Scheme in the 2005-2006 capital works budget was not part of the 2004-2005 budget and therefore, is not being carried over. It was always budgeted that the project would be constructed over two financial years. The capital works budget is as stated - $12.5 million.

Council is borrowing an additional $500,000 and is not repaying any of its debt.

In the 2005-2006 budget Council has proposed to repay loans to the sum of $1.35 million and borrow $500,000. This will reduce Council’s debt from $5.9 million to $5 million in the next financial year.

An additional $2.45 million is also planned to be repayed over the following three year period, significantly reducing the current total debt from $5.9 million to $2.6 million by 2009.

Major capital works for Cowes this year include car parking provision in Bass Avenue, fully funded my monies held in the Cowes car parking fund, and one $80,000 toilet to be built in Chapel Street.

$1.25 million dollars of the Capital Works budget (not including the $6 million spent on the Cape Woolamai Special Charge Scheme) has been allocated to capital works on Phillip Island.

There is also $813,000 of capital works not allocated to any specific area, but that will provide benefit to Phillip Island.

$11,000 of new initiatives have also been budgeted for Phillip Island. The Island will also receive benefits from an additional $180,000 of new initiatives not allocated to a specific area.

Mr Bawden also commented in relation to the $200,000 allocated to the Civic Centre, Wonthaggi.

"Staff have been patient with inadequate amentities for number of years and Council, as an employer, has an obligation to ensure these are adequate.

"This commitment was made through the EBA to provide staff and the unions with assurances.

Mr Bawden says that the 7.5% rate rise is necessary given the increase in demand for services and infrastructure and and the high growth in population.

"Contrary to media reports the 7.5% increase has absolutely nothing to do with a reported ‘$4.5 million expenditure on Council offices in Wonthaggi’. Any such proposal would be put to a future Council for consideration.

"Despite rate increases in recent years, Bass Coast Shire Council still has amongst the lowest levels of expenditure and rates in Victoria.

"The community are welcome to suggest to Council that it adopt a lower rate rise, however, it will also have to help us identify which projects can be cut from the budget," said Mr Bawden.

Mr Bawden added that no allocation was made for the Cowes Children’s Hub and Cultural and Civic Centre Precinct in the 2005-2006 budget as community and stakeholder consultation was still being conducted and the possibly of applying for grants investigated.

"However, Council has planned to allocate $1.5 million to these projects in the 2006-2010 budgets," he said.

Council’s budget is available to view at Council’s Customer Services Centres in Wonthaggi, Inverloch, Grantville, and Cowes and on Council’s website at www.basscoast.vic.gov.au.

The community can forward their comments and suggestions in writing to Allan Bawden, Chief Executive Officer, Bass Coast Shire Council, PO Box 118, Wonthaggi, Vic, 3995. All submissions must be received by 5pm on 21 June 2005.

Council proposes to adopt the budget at the 22 June 2005 Council meeting, in which all submissions will be considered. The public is welcome to attend.


Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: news@gippsland.com



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