Council entered the budgeting process this year with a clear mandate from our community that it needed to tighten its spending.
“Based on this mandate we needed to find, and will continue to implement, operational efficiencies. We recognise the community’s inability to continue contributing to large revenue increases and fully appreciate the need to balance new capital works with our physical ability to complete our current works program,” Southern Downs Regional Mayor Peter Blundell said.
“A thorough review of our borrowing strategy assessed alternatives to reducing reliance on loans,” Cr Blundell said.
“The resulting outcome is that the council will deliver a lower than predicted general revenue increase of 4.95 per cent with a $1.5 million reduction in predicted borrowings,” he said.
“Despite the fact that we have tightened the budget, many necessary projects are still moving forward to deliver improved services to residents of the Southern Downs community.
“These include a focus on improved road works, with just over $14 million to be spent on maintenance and capital projects and $29 million in road flood recovery work.
“About $1.6 million will be spent on pest animal and weed programs and domestic animal control.
“Over $1.36 million has been allocated for economic development, and more than $900,000 will be put towards improvements to community facilities.
“Discussions did, however, include deferral of the Yangan Road Depot refurbishment until more suitable financial alternatives could be found.
“Budget scrutiny is not only occurring at a local level and the philosophical shift towards tighter fiscal management is moving through all tiers of government.
“The new State Government has clearly communicated that, until the State’s finances recover, there will be very limited funding available for grants and projects to assist Local Government to implement programs.
“However, they have also prioritised greater regional autonomy, giving control back to local communities.
“In this situation, it is even more important that we lobby to have the needs of the Southern Downs region recognised, and that we become more creative in developing ways to work with other levels of government to achieve successful outcomes.
“The lobbying process can often be slow and frustrating but, as we have seen with the Allora Medical Centre, the results are worth pursuing and the council will continue to support such projects.
“One of the major activities that the council will undertake this year is a Cultural Review and Development program, and a review of our organisational structure.
“We need to ensure that the way we operate and work together delivers the most efficient and effective outcome for the community and delivers even more efficiencies over the next four years.
“I would particularly like to thank the Rating Consultation Group for the continued work they have put in to fine tune the differential rating structure.
“Our rating and financial team have also done excellent work to formulate a very practical budget in tough economic circumstances,” Cr Blundell said.
