The City of Launceston has released its draft 2021-22 annual plan and budget for public comment.
Mayor Albert van Zetten said the Council plans to spend almost $25 million on its capital works program in the upcoming financial year.
Mayor van Zetten said the Council's proposed expenditure of $130 million for the 2021/22 financial year includes significant spending on the municipality's recreational facilities ($24.19 million), $12 million on roads and traffic maintenance and improvements as well as $5.9 million for extension capping at the Launceston Waste Centre.
Additionally, the Council will invest in the ongoing implementation of the My Place My Future plan, programs at the QVMAG, Smart City initiatives, maintaining our contributions to regional partnerships and continued investment in community grants and events sponsorship.
Other capital projects included in the proposed budget are $3.2 million for major road restruction, $1 million for urban road resealing, $750,000 for Reimagining the Gorge, $450,000 for footpath resealing and $460,000 for the redevelopment of car parking at Churchill Park.
Last year, Council's proposed rate increase of 3.9 per cent was scrapped in response to the COVID pandemic.
Mayor van Zetten said the proposed general rate increase of 3.75 per cent for 2021/22 was significantly offset by the rate freeze in the previous financial year as part of the Council's $8.7 million Community Care and Recovery Package.
This freeze resulted in lost revenue in excess of $2.2 million in the 2020/21 year, which compounds annually given it was a true freeze, not an increase and subsequent remission of rates.
Mayor van Zetten said the Council remains in a strong financial position despite budgeting for a $7.1 million underlying deficit in 2021/22.
"Through careful and prudent planning aligned to our Long-Term Finance Plan, we are confident the Council will return to a full surplus by 2025/26," Mayor van Zetten said.
Mayor van Zetten said that the Council had faced a number of financial challenges over the past year - including the impacts of the COVID pandemic - but it was important that the organisation acted responsibly and with expedience to mitigate those impacts on its community.
"The Community Care and Recovery Package was significant in terms of the Council doing what it could at a time when our community was at most risk," Mayor van Zetten said.
Waste and recycling charges remain challenging for all Local Governments across the country, Mayor van Zetten said, with Launceston budgeting for a 10.4 per cent increase in costs over the coming financial year.
Mayor van Zetten encouraged all residents and ratepayers to read through the Council's budget proposal and make a submission through our engagement process.
