DRAFT 2024/25 Annual Operational Plan, Budget and Revenue Policy (including Fees & Charges)

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Consultation has concluded.

We look forward to hearing back from residents and ratepayers about the DRAFT 2024/25 Annual Operational Plan and Budget which are currently on public exhibition. The suite of DRAFT documents also includes Council’s Revenue Policy (incorporating Fees & Charges).

The DRAFT Operational Plan 2024/25 provides an overview of the range of services Council delivers. Structured across 66 functional areas that report through to the Senior Management Team who then report to Council, the organisation is set to deliver over 182 actions that collectively help achieve a strong community, healthy environment, and thriving economy.

While Council has relatively healthy cash reserves of $48M, achieving financial sustainability of Council’s General Fund remains a significant challenge and must be addressed as part of responsible governance. IPART has issued a rate peg of 4.5%, which, once again, doesn’t nearly match inflation or cover award increases. To this end, Council plans to continue having conversations with the community about how to increase revenue (with a view to the next Council revisiting the option of a Special Rate Variation) and/or decrease costs (including reductions in service levels). Council elections are in September 2024.

Please note the 2024/25 financial year will also mark the first year of the two-year rates rebalancing program aimed at improving fairness and equity across the rating categories, which will see the rate peg redistributed from Farmland onto Business for two years (only). Residential ratepayers will see no change to the proportion of rates paid overall (beyond the annual rate peg).


HAVE YOUR SAY

SUBMISSIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY COUNCIL BY 5PM, TUESDAY, 28 MAY 2024.

Any feedback received will be considered by Council at a public forum and workshop scheduled for 12 June 2024, ahead of Council’s final decision at the June Ordinary Council Meeting.

We look forward to hearing back from residents and ratepayers about the DRAFT 2024/25 Annual Operational Plan and Budget which are currently on public exhibition. The suite of DRAFT documents also includes Council’s Revenue Policy (incorporating Fees & Charges).

The DRAFT Operational Plan 2024/25 provides an overview of the range of services Council delivers. Structured across 66 functional areas that report through to the Senior Management Team who then report to Council, the organisation is set to deliver over 182 actions that collectively help achieve a strong community, healthy environment, and thriving economy.

While Council has relatively healthy cash reserves of $48M, achieving financial sustainability of Council’s General Fund remains a significant challenge and must be addressed as part of responsible governance. IPART has issued a rate peg of 4.5%, which, once again, doesn’t nearly match inflation or cover award increases. To this end, Council plans to continue having conversations with the community about how to increase revenue (with a view to the next Council revisiting the option of a Special Rate Variation) and/or decrease costs (including reductions in service levels). Council elections are in September 2024.

Please note the 2024/25 financial year will also mark the first year of the two-year rates rebalancing program aimed at improving fairness and equity across the rating categories, which will see the rate peg redistributed from Farmland onto Business for two years (only). Residential ratepayers will see no change to the proportion of rates paid overall (beyond the annual rate peg).


HAVE YOUR SAY

SUBMISSIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY COUNCIL BY 5PM, TUESDAY, 28 MAY 2024.

Any feedback received will be considered by Council at a public forum and workshop scheduled for 12 June 2024, ahead of Council’s final decision at the June Ordinary Council Meeting.

  • Consultation has concluded.

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