Council’s Proposed Budget 2020/21 open for community feedback
Published on 24 June 2020
The Central Goldfields Shire Council Proposed Budget 2020/21 is now available for public feedback, following endorsement at the June Council Meeting last night (23/06).
The Proposed Budget is available to view on Council’s website www.centralgoldfields.vic.gov.au/haveyoursay from today, Wednesday 24 June with feedback invited until 5pm, Friday 24 July
Central Goldfields Shire Chief Administrator Noel Harvey said he encouraged the community to take the time to read the Proposed Budget and provide feedback.
“The 2020/21 Proposed Budget has been developed at a time of uncertainty around the economic and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. We delayed its preparation to allow the impacts of the pandemic to be included where known and to ensure the Budget respects the challenges of the pandemic situation in the Central Goldfields.
“We know the pandemic has created much financial hardship for many of our community and so, in March, we moved quickly to develop a financial support package so that we could directly support both our ratepayers and businesses.
“The main focus of the 2020/21 Proposed Budget is to implement the key objectives of the 2017-2021 Council Plan and deliver on our commitment to deliver more than 40 services to our community.
“Thanks to the huge volume of advocacy and planning that has been undertaken by Council over the past two years we’re also in a position to deliver the biggest capital works program this Council has ever seen.
“The budget includes a capital works program of $15.9 million which will provide a significant stimulus to the local economy and will be supported by grants from State and Federal Government totalling $9.487 million.
“Major upgrades to the Maryborough Outdoor Pool and Central Goldfields Art Gallery feature in the works package, as well as a $225,000 upgrade to the Talbot Town Hall toilets, $3 million in road renewal and $181,000 to improve footpaths across the municipality.
“The $1.2 million Victorian Government Working for Victoria program will also help boost the local economy and ensure we have the resources to support our economic recovery efforts moving forward.
“The budget includes net borrowings of $331,000 to deliver a cash balanced budget and a rate rise of 2.0% in line with the State Government determined rate cap and an increase of 6.5% for waste charges to meet the increasing costs of managing waste.
“We’re pleased to endorse the Proposed Budget 2020/21 and we look forward to hearing from our community as we work to develop the final Council Budget ready for adoption in August.”
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET 2020/21:
Capital Works program:
- Upgrades to the Maryborough Outdoor Pool - $2 million
- Community halls and facilities improvements - $565,000
- Upgrade to the Talbot Town Hall toilets - $225,000
- Energy Breakthrough infrastructure upgrades - $500,000 ($1.5 million over three years)
- Central Goldfields Art Gallery redevelopment - $675,000
- Construction of the Skate Park in Maryborough - $645,000 (subject to grant funding)
- Upgrades to Carisbrook Recreation Reserve - $2.3 million
- Completion of the Carisbrook Levee - $2.55 million (subject to grant funding)
- Repairs to Worsley Cottage - $150,000
- Repairs to Carisbrook Scout Hall and Lions Club roof - $10,000
- Carpark lighting and disability access - Maryborough Community House - $10,000
- Road renewal and reseals projects - $3 million
- New footpaths in Bealiba, Carisbrook, Talbot and Dunolly - $81,000
- Footpath renewals in Maryborough - $100,000
Other key projects:
- Planning and design for a splash park
- Planning and design for a Youth Hub and Youth Strategy
- Planning and design for new toilets in Rene Fox Gardens Dunolly
- Development of a Cultural Heritage Plan for the Princes Park Grandstand
- Development of a Master Plan for the Maryborough Railway Station
- Development of a Climate Adaptation Plan
- Development of a masterplan for the Philips Gardens
- Development of a Reconciliation Action Plan
- Development of a Waste Water Plan for Talbot
- Review of heritage controls in Maryborough
HAVE YOUR SAY
- Read: Council’s Proposed Budget 2020/21 is available to view at www.centralgoldfields.vic.gov.au/haveyoursay Residents requiring a hard copy can contact our Customer Service team on 5461 0610. A copy is also available to view at Council's Customer Service Centre, 22 Nolan Street, Maryborough. A copy will also be available to view at the Bealiba, Carisbrook, Dunolly and Talbot Post Office and the Dunolly Rural Transaction Centre from w/c 29/06.
- Make a Submission: Written submissions are invited by 5pm, Friday 24 July. To make a submission:
- Present a Submission: Anyone who lodges a written submission is invited to present it to Administrators at a Submissions Hearing to be held at 5.30pm, Tuesday 4 August.
The Budget will then go to a Special Meeting of Council at 6pm, Tuesday 11 August to be considered for adoption.