Have your say on Council’s budget and activities for 2024-25
Published on 08 May 2024
Council is accepting community feedback on its Draft Delivery Program 2022-2026 and Operational Plan for the 2024-25 financial year until 7 June.
“The Delivery Program describes Council’s activities over a four-year period, while the Operational Plan 2024-2025 details our proposed activities for next financial year,” said Mayor Claire Pontin.
These actions are all linked to the MidCoast Community Strategic Plan, MidCoast 2032: Shared Vision, Shared Responsibility.
Next year Council will continue to focus on seven key areas of community importance: climate change, customer service, development assessment, economic development, cultural planning, local and regional roads, and financial sustainability, whilst also providing core services.
“Because we service a large area with a comparatively small population, we face the challenge of making a small budget go a long way,” explained Mayor Pontin.
“This year, Council commissioned an independent review of Council’s financial sustainability and has developed a Financial Sustainability Action Plan. The Plan has five key actions that will help us do better at maintaining our $5 billion asset base and help us remain economically sustainable over the long-term,” said Mayor Pontin.
The 3,600km road network will remain a priority for Council in 2024-25, with $68 million to be allocated for transport infrastructure assets such as roads, bridges, drainage, and footpaths. This includes a final $11.5 million of works under the $100 million Road Program that Council is undertaking in partnership with the State Government. The program includes the Thunderbolts Way Corridor Strategy, the Bucketts Way upgrade, and construction of a new bridge over Cedar Party Creek into Wingham. Council has also allocated $17 million for road maintenance for our local roads in 2024-25.
Council is continuing its work to ensure water security, with implementation of the Integrated Water Cycle Management Strategy (IWCM) 2050. Expenditure of $35 million on sewer infrastructure and $27 million on water infrastructure is planned for 2024‐2025. Council will undertake a preliminary Environmental Planning Assessment for Peg Leg Creek Off-River Storage Dam as well as a detailed design for an off-water storage for the Gloucester water supply.
Council obtained Australian and NSW Government grant funding for infrastructure projects in 2024-25, including, library, playing courts, hall and amenity upgrades at various locations. Council will also be finalising its accessibility grant project at the Manning Entertainment Centre.
Council’s general rate income will increase by 5.2% under the rate peg which is set by the NSW Government’s Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART).
Council is also bringing its Schedule of Fees and Charges more into line with the cost of delivering the services. Water access charges will increase by 7%. Water usage will increase by 8.5% on the first step and 8.7% on the second step. The sewer access charge will increase by 2%. The domestic waste management charge will increase by approximately 5.3%.
You can view the Delivery Program 2022-2026 and Operational Plan 2024-25 which includes the annual budget and fees and charges at https://www.midcoast.nsw.gov.au/DPOP-2024. The closing date for submissions is Friday 7 June 2024.