November 29, 2016
Printed copies of the South Burnett Regional Council’s 2015-2016 Annual Report are now available.
The Annual Report, which was adopted at a special meeting on November 9, has been available in electronic form for the last two weeks on the Council’s website at no charge.
Printed copies can now be viewed at South Burnett Regional Council libraries and customer service centres, and purchased if readers want a hardcopy.
All Councils are obliged by the Local Government Act to publish an Annual Report outlining their performance, achievements and planned outcomes each financial year.
The report must also contain an assessment of the Council’s performance in implementing its rolling five year Corporate and Operational Plans; its audited financial statements; and other statutory information required by law.
All Queensland council Annual Reports are audited by the Department of Local Government and Planning before being released to the public, and Councils are required to adopt each Annual Report within a month of receiving the Department’s assent.
During 2015-2016, the Council says its main achievements were:
- Building a new waste water treatment plant for Kingaroy
- Upgrading the Gordonbrook water treatment plant
- Finalising Nanango’s streetscape
- Starting Blackbutt CBD improvements with improved drainage and road resealing
- Starting construction of the South Burnett Rail Trail
- Reopening the Lady Bjelke-Petersen Community Hospital in partnership with South Bank Day Hospital
- Gaining State Government approval for public consultation on a new South Burnett Regional Planning Scheme which will replace the four old Shire planning schemes in use to date
- Improving the Council’s financial position by finding further cost efficiencies
During the year the Council spent $14.2 million on roads and bridges, $7.8 million on water treatment and $14.3 million on waste water capital works.
At the end of June 2016, the Council’s total asset base was estimated to be $935 million and total liabilities $65 million, leaving a total equity of $870 million.
The region’s estimated population at June 2015 was 32,575.
