There are so many times when I am out talking within our community that someone starts a sentence "Council should." The reality is that Council often would if it could and it can't because it simply doesn't have the budget.
The setting of the 2023-2024 draft Budget took much hard work -councillors and officers - trying to get the best outcome of an increasingly tough financial situation as rate-capping increasingly bites in and the difference between the CPI cost of a basket of household goods and the far more costly specialist work which all councils undertake including engineering and other professional and technical services, continues to grow. So, what are we doing to address this increasing challenge?
Council spends a great deal of time on community engagement so we really understand what is important to our community and what we should prioritise.
We recognise the need to embrace new technologies, partnerships and delivery models to ensure we can provide existing community services better and quicker where possible and more economically.
As a Council we work creatively and successfully on advocacy to achieve grants for priority projects which benefit our community and we project manage those grants to get the best possible outcomes.
Importantly our Budgets are released as drafts so Council can seek valuable community input. We want you to understand where we propose expenditure and the challenges we face and we really want to hear your thoughts and suggestions. Decisions made with community input are always the best decisions.
