https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qH90cO16I1g
Toowoomba Regional Council's (TRC) sustainable financial future has been strengthened with the adoption of its 2025/26 Annual Budget at a Special Meeting of Council today.
Toowoomba Region Mayor Geoff McDonald said today's Budget Adoption was the culmination of many months of work to deliver a responsible $705 million financial plan for the future of the Region.
"Today's budget adoption demonstrates belief in our region, belief in our community, belief in each other as your elected Councillors and belief in the Council workforce.
"Like you, we love where we live. We love the Toowoomba Region.
"Which is why we'll continue to work with our teams to ensure we're delivering essential services and maintaining that liveability. The very reasons why we choose to live, learn, work, and play where we do.
"There is much to look forward to. This year's budget is about strengthening our foundations with a clear focus on careful financial management, delivering essential services to our growing communities and maintaining existing infrastructure.
"Despite many challenges, we have forecast a $1.5 million surplus in this budget which strengthens our sustainable financial future.
"Council has adopted a general rate rise of 9.5 per cent for Toowoomba urban residential ratepayers. The general rate rise for 68 percent of all rateable properties across the Toowoomba Region will be less than 10 percent.
"We have included a 5 per cent pay-on-time discount for all residential ratepayers (including rural residential) and have again offered generous pensioner rebates of $120 per year which supports more than 10,900 pensioner households across our Region," Mayor McDonald said.
"The continued rising cost to Council of delivering business-as-usual services to our Region has seen Council working extremely hard to adopt a sustainable Budget.
"We have made provisions for a $469 million operational spend while $236 million has been allocated to Council's capital projects.
"This year we have Budgeted $14.4 million for electricity. That's $14.4 million just to keep essential services running and the lights on. That's an increase of $1.9 million from last year or 15.5 per cent.
"The story doesn't get any better for Council's insurance premiums. Despite not changing our level of coverage, it'll cost Council $5 million to pay our premiums this year which is a $2.1 million increase, 73 percent higher than last year.
"The volatility in fuel prices will also be felt with a whopping $5.7 million forecast in fuel alone to keep Council's fleet on the road.
"Just like households, these are unavoidable expenses for Council that keep rising well beyond inflation each year.
"We continue to be burdened this year with the Queensland State Government's Waste Levy Bin Tax.
"This levy covers 39 of Queensland's 77 local government areas. Essentially, the State Government is taxing us for the amount of waste which ends up in our landfills. We have Budgeted $9 million to cover the full cost of the levy, with a gap of $4.2 million to be funded from general rates and commercial gate fees after the State Government's annual waste levy payment," he said.
"Our water security continues to be a high priority for Council and this year we will enter the second year of a five-year price path for water infrastructure and water usage.
"We operate some eight water treatment plants, seven waste water treatment plants, more than 2,000 kilometres of water mains, almost 1,400 kilometres of wastewater mains and three dams that all require continued maintenance and renewal to keep water flowing from taps and sewage moving.
"The water infrastructure charge for an average property will increase $83.30 for the year or $1.60 per week with changes to the early payment discounts also factored in.
"We have factored in $14.75 million of savings in materials, services and operational expenditure in the adoption of today's Budget.
"This reduction will contribute to the way we will continue to cut the cloth to ensure our Council's financial outlook remains sound, while delivering the services and facilities our growing community needs.
"I'm more than confident Council will maintain its strong financial position as a result of careful management," he said.
Budget Highlights
A $705 million sustainable financial plan
$469 million operational expenditure
$236 million capital projects
A $1.5 million Budget surplus
- A 9.5 per cent general rate rise for Toowoomba Urban residential ratepayers. This is an average increase of $241.50 a year or $4.60 per week on general rates only (including changes to the early payment discount)
- 68 per cent of all ratable properties across the region will receive a general rate rise of less than 10 per cent
- A 5 per cent pay-on-time discount for all residential ratepayers (including rural residential)
- 5 per cent increase to pensioner rebates to $120 on general rates for the year supporting 10,900 pensioner households
Major areas of operational and capital expenditurewill include:
- $263 millionfor water and wastewater projects (including Cressbrook Dam Safety Improvement Project);
- $160 millionfor roads, drainage, footpaths and bikeways;
- $122 millionfor community services, facilities and parks and recreation projects;
- $50 millionfor waste services;
- $17.5 million for Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements
Capital Project Highlights
North Zone
Oakey Showground Toilets and Pavilion
A new pavilion has been constructed. Currently major electrical works are being undertaken, these will be finalised in 2024/25. The underground services and sewer work prior to the toilets being replaced in 2025/26. A new master plan has identified additional work required to ensure infrastructure will be in place to support the progressive development of the showground.
$550,000
Crows Nest - Haden Road, Bergen (TIDS)
Upgrade road to two lane standard.
$2,500,000
Oakey Biddeston Road Stage 2
Oakey Biddeston Road Stage 2 project is to upgrade the section of road between Oakey Creek and Oakey Crosshill road to an improved standard for road train class vehicle and will be funded by the Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program.
$1,500,000
South Zone
Millmerran Indoor Sports Centre Roof
Renew the Millmerran Indoor Sports Centre roof and insulation. Design undertaken in 2024/25 and replacement in 2025/26.
$750,000
Branchview Rd Bridge Renewal
This complex project will be delivered over several years.
$2,300,000
Clifton Pittsworth Road Link Upgrade (TIDS)
Upgrade of Clifton Pittsworth Road between Leslie Bridge Road and Toowoomba Karara Road from single lane to double lane.
$2,000,000
Gillespie Street, Millerran Rehabilitation
Part of the annual Rehabilitation Program.
$400,000
Clifton Allora Road Culvert Renewal
This project is to renew the existing Clifton Allora Road Culvert.
$450,000
Emerging Zone (Toowoomba/Highfields/Westbrook etc)
Clara May Smythe Park
Upgrade to District Recreation Park (Clara May Smythe Park), Highfields. Upgrade park to District level. In 25/26 construction works will occur, which includes: activity nodes, paths, hardscapes, and visitor facilities infrastructure.
$1,188,363
Captain Cook Recreation Reserve
Upgrade to District Recreation Corridor (Captain Cook Recreation Reserve) Toowoomba. Determined through LGIP. Open Space Network to meet catchment growth and desired standards of service. 24/25 works include detailed design and construction documentation ready for construction to commence in 25/26.
$356,790
Highfields Rd/OBrien Rd/Kratzke Rd Intersection
This multi-year LGIP project will upgrade the existing intersection to accommodate the predicted increase in traffic volumes in Highfields.
$6,000,000
Perth Street Culvert Upgrade
Project is a part of the East Creek Flood Mitigation Master Plan to increase the capacity of the culverts on Perth Street and reduce the flooding of Kitchener Street. It is a complex project to deliver over multiple years.
$2,000,000
Whole of Council
Cressbrook Dam Safety Improvements
Dam spillway upgrade to ensure compliance with licensing requirements for spillway to pass 100% Acceptable Flood Capacity (AFC)
$96,500,000
Southern Water Treatment Plant Project
Commence work on the Southern Water treatment plant.
$7,174,621
Smart Water Meter Program Region Wide
Program to procure and deploy Smart Water Meters on customer connections across the water reticulation network.
$2,700,000
Cooby Dam Inlet Pipe Replacement
Reservoir infrastructure upgrades to ensure asset resilience and compliance with licensing requirements.
$8,430,000
Toowoomba Regional Sports Precinct
Toowoomba Regional Sports Precinct, TRSP has been designed to enable a staged delivery. 2025-26 encompasses finalisation of detailed design.
$2,104,331
Toowoomba Escarpment Mountain Bike Trails
Implementation of Escarpment Mountain Bike Masterplan. Develop design documentation ready for a 2-year construction delivery in 25/26 & 26/27.
$1,300,000
Lower Order Road Upgrade Program
The Lower order road upgrade program is to address issues with thelower order road network focusing on formed and unformed roads as per the November 2022 Council Decision.
$2,000,000
