Budget 20/21: supporting our community

It’s been a year unlike any other and at Council we have been focused in our desire to help our community and local businesses through the pandemic and on the road to recovery.

This week Council endorsed the budget for the next financial year which includes:

$4.3 million in subsidies on rates and domestic waste charge increases. After the subsidy, the average residential rate payer will see an increase of 1.3% which is around $19 on their annual rates ($4.75/quarter) and $20.50 on their waste charges ($5.13/quarter)a one month extension to the due date for the first rates instalment notice to 30 September to allow residents a little more time to payno increases to non-statutory fees and charges until 30 September ($0.7m)$1.9 million in support for community and local business including fee waivers and property rental relief

Council’s hardship provisions remain in place and people who are experiencing difficulty are encouraged to contact us on 1300 434 434 or apply online. 

These provisions are on top of a range of initiatives that have been rolled out this financial year including emergency grants for community organisations helping our most vulnerable, the temporary introduction of the Library2U home delivery service, expanded Meals on Wheels and direct support for over 50 local charity and support organisations.

Fee waivers and rent relief measures have also been in place for local business throughout the pandemic as well as flexible arrangements for supermarket deliveries and changes to parking to facilitate take away pick ups.

The $105million investment in capital works over the next 12 months will also help stimulate a recovering local economy. And Council has also endorsed a local concrete contractor scheme which will share work around a number of smaller concrete businesses to repair and renew footpaths and kerb and gutters.