A proposed across-the-board rates increase of 2.1 per cent will be presented to Tuesday night’s Murrindindi Shire Council.

Councillors are looking to adopt a $34.4 million budget, with a nominal $1000 surplus, for the 2018-19 financial year.

More than $7.8 million has been allocated to capital works projects, although one-fifth ($1.59 million) of these works will be carried forward from the current 2017-18 year.

Major proposed works include:
• Yea High St irrigation upgrade – $103,000,
• Yea Recreation Reserve change room renewal and upgrade – $65,000,
• Kinglake Ranges Neighbourhood House renewal – $45,000,
• Kinglake Community Centre renewal and upgrade – $60,000,
• Toolangi C.J. Dennis Memorial Hall renewal, $40,000,
• Strath Creek Playground shade structure, $47,000,
• Bollygum Park, Kinglake, toilets renewal, $30,000,
• Yarck public toilets renewal, $59,000,
• Flagpole installations at all Council offices, $27,000,
• Library bookstock renewal, $100,000,
• Roads and bridges renewal and upgrade program, $3.43 million.

Council Chief Executive Officer Craig Lloyd says there has been a focus in the capital works spending decisions to ensure that funds are not spent disproportionately across the Shire.

Two new customer service jobs will be created at Council offices on a 12-month basis. Executives hope that efficiencies will be found elsewhere amongst Council jobs over the coming year, for the customer service jobs to be added later on a permanent basis.

A sum of $280,000 is to be provided for business and tourism innovation. The first round of grants is currently being determined by Murrin-dindi Shire Councillors.

The Council is having a comprehensive review of its financial reserves, with some of its past critics being of the belief that the cash held was excessive.
In a joint statement, Mayor Cr Charlie Bisset and CEO Craig Lloyd said: “Council is also developing a new approach to how we work with communities – and to assist communities to work with one another.

“We have received generous support from IAG toward this project and, together, we will work to ensure Council takes a new and invigorated approach to engaging with the community,” Cr Bisset and Mr Lloyd said.

An extra Local Laws officer will be employed, with an emphasis on increased animal management issues throughout the municipality, and outstanding planning matters.

“We are also focusing our efforts to promote compliance and support emergency management,” Cr Bisset and Mr Lloyd said

“We are allocating funds to enable recruitment of an additional Community Safety officer and are renaming our ‘Local Laws’ function as ‘Community Safety’ to better reflect the focus and goal of this Unit.

“The additional officer will help strengthen a proactive compliance program, including a focus on education and awareness to support compliance and enforcement activities,

“We know the community is keen to see Council services maintained at current levels, while also ensuring rates are kept as low as possible. We know the community wants us to work continuously to improve th eefficiency of the services we deliver.

“We also know that the community wants Council to ensure it puts in place af inancially responsible and sustainable budget,” Cr Bisset and Mr Lloyd said.

BUDGET AT A GLANCE
Small surplus
Murrindindi Council expects to spend $34.405 million in the 2018-19 financial year, against an income of $34.406 million. This leaves a $1000 surplus for the year.

Deficit this year
The Council expects to hand down a $2.1 million deficit for the current 2017-18 year, but this is because Government funds of $2.2 million were received in early June last year, and had to be included in the previous year’s figures.

Jobs increase
The total number of staff at Murrindindi Council is expected to increase to 158.2 ‘full-time equivalent’positions in the 2018-19 year, with reductions to 156.6, 155.6 and 154.6 in subsequent years. Budgeted cost of staff is $14.9 million.

Across the board
Murrindindi Council expects to raise $20.4 million from rates and charges across 2018-19. The elements include general rates ($14.08 million), municipal charge ($3.1m), waste management charge ($2.9m), supplementary rates and rate adjustments ($168,000), revenue in lieu of rates ($64,000). The 2.15 per cent rates increase will be spread evenly “across the board”.

Capital works
A big year of capital works is predicted across Murrinindi for 2018-19, with $7.8 million expenditure planned. Projections are for $9.8 million to be spent in 2019-20, and $10.05 million and $8.1 million to be spent in the two following years.

Losses dropped
Murrindindi Councillors have previously signalled in their four-year plan that they would adopt a $½-million deficit each financial year. Predictions are now for surpluses of $81,000 (2019-20), $118,000 (2020-21) and 159,000 (2021-22).

Cutbacks planned
Murrindindi Council plans to cut the money its spends on consultants by 38.53 per cent in the 2018-19 financial year. Forecasts are for the annual amount to drop from $436,000 to $268,000. The contractor amount is expected to fall by 5.9 per cent.

Legal expenses up
Murrindindi Council’s legal bill is expected to jump by 6.7 per cent to $255,000. Most is incurred in recovering long overdue debts from delinquent ratepayers.