DRAFT 2022-25 Delivery Program and DRAFT 2022-2032 Long-Term Financial Plan

Consultation has concluded

Council is pleased to present for public exhibition the:

The DRAFT Delivery Program is a statement of Council’s commitment to the community and sets out what Council intends to achieve over its term in office. Its overall purpose is to program the activities Leeton Shire Council will undertake to deliver the aspirational goals of the community, as set out in the Liveable Leeton 2035 Community Strategic Plan

While we have a bright future and lots of important projects to complete, we need to be alert to some challenges we are facing, in particular a deficit in the 2023 budget for the general fund.

Council’s DRAFT Long-Term Financial Plan is an important step forward in talking about Council’s financial sustainability challenges from 2023/24. The DRAFT Long-Term Financial Plan explores several scenarios (paths that Council could take into the future), highlighting that Council needs to take action to improve its financial sustainability.

At this stage, Council is of the view that the path that is most likely to be seen as acceptable to the community will be a middle ground option that strikes a balance reducing expenses ideally via efficiency gains as well as reduction in community services and increasing income including a special rate variation (increasing the rates above the ‘rate peg’, set annually by the NSW Government). This is referred to as the ‘lesser SRV + some service cuts’ scenario.

Alternative scenarios include:

A ‘head in the sand’ scenario, which explores the implications of Council continuing its current path of operating deficits (not recommended)
An ‘austerity’ scenario which explores the extent of savings needed to avoid a special rate variation (not recommended)
An ‘SRV and Maintain all Services’ scenario, which explores the full extent of a special rate variation if all current service levels were to be maintained.

While we need to be alert to some issues, please don’t be alarmed. We are not alone in having to solve the problem of expenditure outgrowing income. According to the Office of Local Government, almost half of NSW Councils reported an operating deficit.

Council will engage further with the community over the next few months to discuss challenges and options to address these.

HAVE YOUR SAY

View the full DRAFT Delivery Program and DRAFT Long-Term Financial Plan on this Have Your Say page (scroll down if on a mobile). Hard copies are also available for viewing by the public at the Council Administration Office, Leeton Library, Yanco Shop and Murrami and Whitton Post Office.

Feedback can be provided via any of the following channels:

ELECTRONICALLY (Preferred): Complete the 'Have Your Say' survey. Please note you will need to login or register to Council's 'Have Your Say' to participate in the survey.

BY EMAIL TO: council@leeton.nsw.gov.au

BY LETTER TO: The General Manager, 23-25 Chelmsford Place, Leeton NSW 2705.

Submissions must be received by Council by 5pm, Sunday 29 May 2022.

Any feedback received will be considered by Council at the June Ordinary Council Meeting.