APART from the heritage announcements last week, the key item this week is the Shires 2014/15 budget adoption.
Main points include:
- No reduction in the level of provision of any of our current services.
- Average rate rise of five per cent, in line with our statutory Long Term Financial Plan (LTFP)
- Minimum rate per property $830. Payment due October 8.
Total expenditure $30.7m includes:
- Additional $100k for high priority unsealed gravel road repairs in shire areas.
- $100k for a statue of Hugo (Jim) Throssell VC to be ready for the Anzac centenary in 2015.
- $100k to reinstate the original carpark area at the historic Railway Station in West Northam.
- $126k for our Community Grants Scheme.
Capital works projects including:
- Completion of the Super Town stage one programs.
- Commencement of the Wundowie skate park.
- Completion of the Northam Cemetery niche wall.
- Completion of the Wundowie storm water harvesting project.
- Engineering condition survey of the Northam and Wundowie swimming pools.
We have become eligible again for some Royalties for Regions funding which were previously removed due to a technical fault on our part.
These one off funds will enable us to continue to improve the physical assets of the Shire.
Due to prudent cash management in prior years, we have decided to retire approximately $1m of old debt related to loans for the previous Town Council office renovation, Main Street upgrades and one of the loans for the new Northam Recreation Centre.
