BRIMBANK ratepayers face an average rates increase of 4.9 per cent following the approval on Thursday of the council’s draft 2012-13 budget.
Council chairman Peter Lewinsky described the draft as a carefully considered budget of consolidation that sought to minimise the burden of rising living costs on ratepayers.
“As has been the case with state and federal governments, this has been a difficult budget with mounting pressure placed on council revenue from external resources, coupled with an ease in property development within our boundaries,” Mr Lewinsky said.
“Despite this, we have managed to create a budget that not only maintains service levels for the community but also delivers a substantial capital expenditure program.”
Next financial year’s $43.7 million capital works budget is down from $47.1 million this year.
Among the big ticket items is $1.7 million to redevelop Keilor Basketball Stadium.
As reported by the Weekly in January, disgruntled Keilor Basketball Association members said they could be forced to leave the stadium if the council didn’t commit to expanding it.
The association has operated out of the stadium for about 20 years, but its president, Wayne Clarke, said it could no longer cope with the number of players visiting each week.
He said the association had about 4000 players in competitions across the municipality.
Other capital works highlights include $1 million to upgrade Dempster Park Reserve in Sunshine and $1.4 million for bike pathways across the municipality.
The council will also spend $700,000 to upgrade Errington Reserve in St Albans, $600,000 for a suburban park upgrade at Delahey Reserve and $200,000 for stage two works at Sunshine’s Tom O’Brien Reserve.
The council said the impact of this year’s revaluation of properties, which must be carried out by all municipalities every two years, had presented a major challenge.
Speaking at last week’s special meeting, chief executive Nick Foa said the council had halved the municipal charge from $115.47 in 2011 to $57.74 in 2012 to reduce the impact of changed property valuations.
“Changes in the property values mean that through the revaluation process some properties with little or no movement in property values may receive a lower rates bill, while other properties that experience growth will attract a higher share of the rates burden.
”Council doesn’t collect one extra dollar of revenue as a result of those movements in property evaluations.”
Copies of the draft budget are available online at brimbank.vic.gov.au or at the council’s customer service centres and libraries.
