July 25, 2014
South Burnett general rates will rise 2.75 per cent in 2014-15 … the lowest increase since Council amalgamation in 2008.
This was the good news in the 2014-15 South Burnett Budget, which was unveiled at a special Budget meeting this morning by South Burnett Mayor Wayne Kratzmann.
The overall rate increase – including all services such as water, sewerage and waste collection – is 4.93 per cent but this will only be paid by ratepayers who have access to all these services.
The $200 annual road levy will stay in place, but in return the Budget will deliver a bumper $42.57 million spend on road maintenance activities in the Shire.
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In terms of population, the biggest individual winner in this year’s Budget will probably be Blackbutt.
The 2014-15 Budget will deliver a $3 million spend on the town to upgrade its drainage, kerbing, channelling and other associated works to bring it up to the same standard as other major centres in the region.
The record outlay is designed to answer the concerns of some residents that Blackbutt has been the “forgotten town” of the South Burnett.
However Timbertowners will need to exercise a little patience: work on the upgrades isn’t scheduled to commence until April 2015, and will continue into next year’s Budget period.
This year’s Budget also forecasts an extensive range of other roadwork projects, including a $6 million spend on road maintenance – the majority of it on rural roads.
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In addition to roadworks, the Budget will also deliver a $17.89 million spend on wastewater assets and $6.07 million on the region’s water supply systems, as well as the start of work on Kingaroy’s new $24 million wastewater treatment plant, the largest single project the Council has yet undertaken.
$2.37 million will be spent on the operation of 17 refuse tips and transfer stations, including $202,000 for a new Hivesville Transfer Station and $685,000 on transfer station upgrades at Maidenwell, Cloyna, Brigooda and Home Creek.
And it will spend $1.19 million on IT systems, including upgrading its 2-way radio system and finalising its Disaster Recovery set-up.
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The Council will also spend heavily on upgrading the region’s public assets.
Major projects include the complete refurbishment of amenities at the Murgon Pool, and a substantial upgrade of Wondai Sportsground’s facilities.
The Council will maintain its 10 per cent discount for prompt rate payments and its $200 annual pensioner rebate.
Community organisations will still receive $327,000 in grants and businesses get a small bonus, too: waste collection costs for 240 litre bins will be aligned with residential charges, saving most businesses $96.
Council’s workforce will be also maintained at its current level with no job losses.
The Budget forecasts a modest surplus of $661,677.
- Related article: Mayor’s Budget Speech In Full
[UPDATED with correction]
