Residents of the Byron Shire are invited to have their say on budget matters today at the council chambers in Mullumbimby.
Two information sessions are being hosted by Council at 12pm to 2pm, and from 5pm to 7pm.
Council’s Director of Corporate and Community Services, Vanessa Adams says, ‘Council will be laying out the facts and figures of how we develop our budget and highlighting the range of exciting projects we have on the table for the year ahead. This is an excellent opportunity for our community to help shape our priorities for next year.
‘We have some exciting projects on the table – from cycleways, road reseals, public toilet upgrades, flood warning network, pest animal management and youth leadership – and we want to hear from the community about which projects they think are important and why.’
Adams says they will also be highlighting where they have invested Special Rate Variation money to improve infrastructure – on everything from road upgrades to playground improvements.
‘The information sessions are also a great opportunity to ask any questions you may have and to put forward your ideas,’ she said.
Once feedback has been collected from the community, it will inform a draft Budget 2019-20 which will be placed on public exhibition following Council consideration on 9 May.
We have been conned over the 30% Rate increase …. The 30% Rate increase was allegedly needed to only be sufficient to maintain our assets, but then Cl found an unallocated $2M from paid parking to spend on Railway Park (the 30% Rate increase will also generate an additional $2M this year). Cl allegedly went through a New Democracy workshop , and adopted the findings with a nice Budget allocation percentages pie chart, but despite 3 letters Cl have not demonstrated that they are actually complying with their Adopted percentages, and havent responded on how the $2M Railway Park Budget is to be managed in the pie charts $6M Parks Budget – ie only $4M left for all of the rest of the Shires parks). There was allegedly no money for new projects, but, as above,Cl is proposing new projects. Questions on how the Environmental levy is spent (incorporated into the Budget years ago , with increases at every Budget increase) also go unanswered.