Council adopts 2018-19 Budget

28 June 2018

Balonne Shire Council adopted its 2018-19 Budget without change and confirmed rates will increase across all categories by 3% in the rate in the dollar and 1% on the minimum general rate and that pensioners would continue to receive a maximum concession of $170 for qualifying properties.

Mayor Richard Marsh said the objective of the 2018/19 budget was to consolidate rate revenue by reviewing categories and benchmarking those categories with local governments of a similar size.

“When setting the rates Council must evaluate and determine the range of services it needs to support the community for example, waste management, local roads and suburban care; decide how much money is need to fund services and infrastructure; establish how much funding could be received from the Federal and State Governments and other income sources; determine how much money is required from rates and charges to cover the balance of expenditure; and decide on the best mix of rates and changes to provide services to the community,” he said.

To minimise the impact on individual landholders Council today adopted the following: • A 3% increase in the rate in the dollar for all rating categories. The rate in the dollar is applied to the land valuation to determine the amount of differential general rate you pay; • A 3% increase for water, waste and sewerage utility charges; • A 1% increase in the minimum general rate which is the minimum amount payable irrespective of valuation and is used for essential services such as road works, car parks, boat ramps, libraries, street lighting, community health and sporting facilities, parks and reserves, and amenities such as showers, toilet and barbecues in parks; • Council will apply a 30% limitation on the increase of general rates to Differential Rating Categories 60, 61, 63, 69-73, 76 and 79; • Council will continue to issue two six-monthly rates notices; and • Services provided to Mungindi for waste and water services will have no change as per Moree Plains Shire Council.

Cr Marsh said Council had recognised its responsibility to customer service and concentrated on creating a budget that would deliver essential services to our communities and kept rate and charges increases to a minimum.

Learn more about the 2018-19 Budget