Community Update # 3

Option 1 – Service Levels Maintained

The average increase to residential, business and farmland rates under OPTION 1 is 24% or 26.5% with the allowed increase (rate peg).ds required) increases each year.

Through our community surveys, Council has heard what is important to you. Residents want to see a greater focus on road maintenance, economic development and provision of services and facilities for youth. Council’s ability to maintain our local community’s assets and deliver the outcomes residents want as we go forward is constrained by our current financial resources.

An external review of our financial position assesses that Council requires an additional $4.75 million annually to maintain the necessary levels of service – mostly related to roads. This funding will allow us to do more than the current short term or responsive maintenance. Council also requires $1.25 million annually to provide additional economic and other services that will put the community in the strongest possible position to respond to local economic challenges and grasp  opportunities.

Under OPTION 1, we can continue to maintain the Council’s services and $530 million of infrastructure assets. Just as important, we can also ready the city for the future with increased investment in maintenance ensuring the underlying cost of major maintenance does not grow to an unaffordable level. Most important, we can
diversify the local economy, bringing more quality jobs for people as coal mining and power generation reduce in activity

The outcomes from Option 1 ‘Maintained’ are:

• Maintain roads, footpaths, business centres and buildings to a level agreed with the community
• Maintain services to the community, including playing fields, parks, aquatic centre, libraries and community facilities.
• Ensure Council’s infrastructure renewal backlog does not become unaffordable in the future.
• Enhance local economic activity and job opportunities.

Option 1 will provide for the future as we transition from a coal and power producing economy. We will address
the structural deficit – allocations to maintain services, build capacity and facilitate economic resilience

If Option 1 is voted in, will we get a say on the ‘future focused new services’?

Yes. Council engages with the community and residents to understand how they see Council performing, and what services can be improved. Council is committed to engaging further with the community on how it can improve Council’s financial sustainability and performance, including supporting local economic diversification.