SOUTHERN Downs Regional Council will introduce a rate increase of five per cent after announcing a budget surplus for 2013/14 this week.
However it was important for residents to note, according to council, that the increase may not be reflected in their rate notices.
The effect of changes to the minimum general rate may mean that a property will have a higher or lower percentage increase than five per cent.
According to the budget papers, council’s employee costs increased each year, but the organisational restructure has meant no increases to the budgeted expenditure and instead expenditure has reduced by $205,000.
Saving of $210,000 in expenditure for diesel and petrol costs will be used to offset the anticipated 304,000 in electricity costs.
Mayor Peter Blundell said the council was using resources more wisely and had approached its budget wisely to achieve surplus. .
“I am very pleased to announce that these measures undertaken by council have turned a budgeted deficit in the 2012/12 of approximately $2.1 million into an expected budget surplus of $1.5M for the 2013/14 year,” he said.
“This is a great result for the region in terms of our future sustainability.”
