Budget brouhaha

Kylie Kitchen

A two per cent reduction in the proposed Macedon Ranges rate rise was met with instant community backlash as council adopted its 2013/14 budget on Wednesday night. 

At the special meeting, the adopted budget was amended from the document which was exhibited to residents. 

Residents filled the gallery and expressed dismay over decisions to again propose UL Daly Nature Reserve as the Gisborne Early Years Hub site and to sell four parcels of open space reserve in Gisborne (Wyralla Crescent, Namnan Way and Gardiner Street) to fund a planned netball courts project. 

Cr Henry McLaughlin made the submission to the budget (as a councillor and resident) that resulted in the Daly Reserve decision, and subsequent rate rise reduction. 

"The reality is though council, at the end of the day, we are the ones who have been elected to make the decisions and those decisions are tough decisions," he said.

"The council delivers a number of significant projects. The pockets of ratepayers are not bottomless and neither is the council budget. 

"The budget is about balance. Councillors this is a true balance."

Council cut the rate rise by saving $700,000 on the purchase of a new site for the Gisborne early years hub. 

It returned to its original proposal to make Daly Reserve the hub site, despite voting not to do so at a November 2012 meeting. The budget now allocates $25,000 for a masterplan on Daly Reserve. 

Cr Jennifer Anderson said there are other ways to reduce rates.

"What we're debating is have we got any other solutions," she said. 

"I have concerns for Daly Reserve and what might happen if we put the hub back on the agenda there."

Cr Russell Mowatt said the council has failed the community in lack of consultation and in going back on a decision made last year. 

Cr Sally Piper called it a good governance issue. 

"No wonder there's so many people in the gallery here tonight, they probably don't even know what's going on," she said. 

"I'm sorry to Daly Reserve and I'm sorry to the parcels of land that have been sold. So no, it's not balanced, it hasn't followed process and I'm very disappointed."

Cr Piper proposed a compromise to sell only one of the four parcels of land, which was lost in the vote. 

"Residents should not have to have their open space taken away from them to fund infrastructure for a town that is growing too quickly," she said. 

"Once our land is built on that's it, the concrete jungle is here to stay."

Cr John Letchford told council there are "$65 million reasons" to praise the budget. 

"My community says 'thank you if you can reduce the rates in the budget'," he said. 

"Councillors I suggest you start singing the praises of the budget.

"The budget is a complex process. We had so many conflicting submissions to judge this on."

Kyneton was a winner in the budget, with joint funding proposals for the Kyneton Bluestone Theatre and the Kyneton Community Park project. The theatre is promised a $90,000 council contribution to support a potential $290,000 government grant. The park will receive a $100,000 council contribution to support an application for a $300,000 government grant.

The budget includes more than $17 million in capital works, with $6.2 million in road and bridge works.

Council confirmed its $550,000 budget contribution to infrastructure upgrades at Hanging Rock, $764,000 to upgrade Woodend's Gilbert Gordon Oval, and $800,000 in playground projects in Kyneton and Romsey.

Other capital works include the Gisborne shire office extension ($800,000), footpath renewal program ($220,000), and the Tylden multipurpose courts ($210,000).

Among the 26 new initiatives is the implementation of the State Government's new residential zones ($40,000), and the Macedon Ranges Climate Change Action Plan ($40,000).

Council voted 5-4 on the budget (including the Daly Reserve decision). Those for were Crs McLaughlin, Letchford, mayor Roger Jukes, Graham Hackett and John Connor. Those against were Crs Piper, Mowatt, Anderson and Morabito.

Council voted 6-3 in the Gisborne land sales decision. Those for were Crs McLaughlin, Letchford, Jukes, Hackett, Connor and Morabito. Those against were Crs Piper, Mowatt, and Anderson.

Rates to rise

A 6.9 per cent residential rate increase is proposed in the Macedon Ranges Council 2013/14 Draft Budget.
The rate increase will cover $2 million extra investment in public land, infrastructure and facilities, the draft report explains.
It is the first time in six years council has increased its rates above five per cent. The last budget increased rates by 4.8 per cent (average of about $81).
A ratepayer living in a median valued property will pay $1,691 this year compared to $1,582 last year - a difference of $109.
"Once again, this budget is a balanced one. Our recurrent operating income is $63 million and our recurrent operating expenditure is $57.36 million, this means we generate an operating surplus of $5.4 million of which $4.5 million will be invested in capital works and $0.9 million will be spent on new initiatives," mayor, Cr Roger Jukes said.
Council adopted the draft budget, council plan, strategic resource plan, and mayoral and councillor allowances at its special meeting on Wednesday night.
The documents are now open for public comment until Friday May 31.
Cr Jukes said the proposed budget will strengthen livability in the Macedon Ranges.
"The budget includes a $16.6 million capital works program and a range of new initiatives to improve the natural environment and enhance services for families, children, young people and older persons.
"Over $6.2 million has been allocated for the construction and improvement of our road network. It also includes continued investment in our walking and cycling network, with over $400,000 allocated for footpath upgrades across the shire.
"We are also proposing to inject over $2.8 million for the construction of playgrounds, netball courts and sports ovals, plus a further $1.6 million for infrastructure at Hanging Rock-although this is dependent on attracting a government grant to assist."
The council plan 2013-2017 sets out council's vision, goals and objectives over the next four years and for the first time it also incorporates council's public health and wellbeing plan.
The draft budget includes 26 new initiatives including climate change ($40,000), a Trust for Nature covenant for UL Daly Reserve Gisborne ($23,000), community awareness in relation to waste reduction ($20,000), and improving service for planning applications and permits ($85,000).
The capital works program includes roads and bridges construction works ($6.2 million), footpath upgrades ($430,000), developing infrastructure at land to the east of Hanging Rock ($1.55 million) and purchasing land for an early years centre in Gisborne ($700,000).
"We recognise there is a fine balance to be achieved in addressing the environmental, infrastructure and social needs against the economic constraints within the community. I think this draft budget does this and I am pleased with it," Cr Jukes said.
"Although our debt will increase, it is still below prudential levels and it will enable us to invest in some important projects that will provide benefits to the community for many years to come.
"This draft budget is the result of a team effort from all councillors and I'm looking forward to receiving comments and discussing it with the community over the next four weeks."
These documents will be on public display in council offices and at the council website.
Written submissions will be accepted until Friday May 31, and will be considered at a meeting in June.