Yes! Its that time of year again, when councils determine the level of service and the projects it wishes to undertake in the next twelve months and therefore the rates that need to be collected.
This year the services and programs we expect to approve will require rates to increase 4.95% and you can have your say about this.
The rate rise proposed is in keeping with what most councils appear to be determining, with a handful less than this and a few proposing more than this.
Unley Council has been deliberating for some time now and has had difficulty in determining the budget for this coming year. Expenses in some areas, like rubbish collection, water and electricity (all of which are significant contributors to our expenses have increased dramatically. Wages have risen under our enterprise bargaining from memory over 3%.
Another significant contributor will be the cost of running the upcoming council elections (budgeted at $172,000) which will consume approx. 0.5% of our total budget.
For a better understanding of where the funds we raise will be committed I suggest you check the Council Web Site.
We have determined that we will maintain all existing service levels. Having said that we are examining all existing services to determine if they are still relevant today.
Continuing along from the initiatives we have seen over the last three years Goodwood South (soon to be renamed Clarence Park) rhave fared well again with some of the initiatives of what we will be getting for our rates, over and above the standard range of services including the following:
ü Council contribution to the undergrounding of the power lines for Goodwood Road between the tram crossing and Mitchell Street $300k
ü Development and commencement of implementation of the Customer Service Framework $77k, which I am sure many of you will be pleased to hear.
ü Goodwood Oval/ Millswood Sporting Complex Improvement Plan-Design Documentation $50k
ü Cromer Parade Landscape Reinvigoration Project $20k
ü Forestville Local Area Traffic Management Study $40k. Not our ward but very much important for those in Goodwood South who travel through Leah Street, Forestville.
ü Implementation of Local Area Traffic Management Studies recently held in Black Forest $50k
ü Footway replacements in Cromer Parade and Lynton Ave, Millswood; Birkdale Avenue and Hammond Street, Clarence Park.
ü Road resealing in East Avenue Clarence Park (from the tram to the rail line); Arundel Avenue, Millswood.
ü Gym equipment in Page Memorial Park.
This is not final yet and can change. We are seeking your input to the development process of this budget through a public consultation process.
The process provides you with the opportunity to have your say on the level of service and the activities undertaken by Council before the final budget is adopted in June 2014.
I encourage you to take part and we look forward to your input.
You can make a submission by:
Ø Visiting Your Say Unley on the council’s website at: www.unley.sa.gov.au
Ø Writing a submission and sending it to: 2014-15 Budget Consultation City of Unley. PO Box 1 Unley SA 5061
Ø Emailing your submission to: pobox1@unley.sa.gov.au