{"id":75553,"date":"2014-07-25T09:00:09","date_gmt":"2014-07-24T23:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=75553"},"modified":"2020-11-27T15:49:22","modified_gmt":"2020-11-27T05:49:22","slug":"rate-rise-lowest-since-amalgamation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2014\/07\/25\/rate-rise-lowest-since-amalgamation\/","title":{"rendered":"Rate Rise ‘Lowest Since Amalgamation’"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Mayor Wayne Kratzmann with his 2014 Budget speech … lowest rate rise since amalgamation<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

July 25, 2014<\/strong><\/p>\n

South Burnett general rates will rise 2.75 per cent in 2014-15 … the lowest increase since Council amalgamation in 2008.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In terms of population, the biggest individual winner in this year’s Budget will probably be Blackbutt.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

The record outlay is designed to answer the concerns of some residents that Blackbutt has been the “forgotten town” of the South Burnett.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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.<\/strong><\/p>\n

$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.<\/p>\n

And it will spend $1.19 million on IT systems, including upgrading its 2-way radio system and finalising its Disaster Recovery set-up.<\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The Council will also spend heavily on upgrading the region’s public assets. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Major projects include the complete refurbishment of amenities at the Murgon Pool, and a substantial upgrade of Wondai Sportsground’s facilities.<\/p>\n

The Council will maintain its 10 per cent discount for prompt rate payments and its $200 annual pensioner rebate.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Council\u2019s workforce will be also maintained at its current level with no job losses.<\/p>\n

The Budget forecasts a modest surplus of $661,677.<\/p>\n