The council plans to increase spending on footpaths and cycleways by $3 million, allocating $4.2 million to replace and construct ‘missing link’ footpaths across the shire, while creating a 1.8km section of walking/cycling trail in Kyabram.
It’s a major jump from the $1.2 million allocated in the previous financial year.
The capital works program is valued at $28.4 million for delivery of 78 projects across the shire, including $10.8 million for roads, of which $1,714,500 will go to Echuca’s Sturt St road reconstruction and drainage works between Pakenham and Anstruther streets.
Council also plans to spend $2.7 million on public buildings, $1.1 million for recreation and $860,000 on stormwater and flood control.
Mayor Chrissy Weller said the budget was "prudent and financially responsible", with $57.5 million also allocated for service delivery.
“A great deal of time and effort has gone into preparing this budget across the past six months,” she said.
“Amid the financial pressures of rate capping, rising costs of service delivery and ongoing challenge of securing external revenue streams, it is pleasing that we have struck a budget that will maintain services at current levels and continue our comprehensive capital works program.”
The Victorian Government's Fair Go Rates System capped rate revenue at 1.5 per cent, with rate income accounting for 48 per cent of council's revenue stream.
Accounting for seven per cent of council revenue, waste charges will fund the collection of kerbside bins, paying the Victorian Government’s landfill levy, operation of transfer stations, monitoring of former landfills and collection of street litter bins.
The budget also includes assigning $1.5 million to a project budget for future works on the Aquatic Reserve and Onion Patch.
The project, which will include extending the Cargo Shed and converting two railway carriages — one for toilet facilities and the other for a kitchenette — was agreed to be pursued at last month's council meeting.
Council will provide $1.5 million of the $4.5 million project, and will look for future grant funding for the rest of the project.
The draft budget was released on Thursday, April 8, for public comment, with the community invited to provide feedback until May 14.
Council will then meet to consider adopting the budget on June 16.
The budget can be viewed on council’s website at campaspe.vic.gov.au
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