Borough endorses third consecutive breakeven budget

THE Borough of Queenscliffe council has endorsed its 2024-25 budget, its third consecutive budget forecast to break even.

The budget aims to address the financial challenges impacting both the council and the wider local government industry and ensure the borough remains debt-free.

Borough mayor Ross Ebbels said the budget was more than numbers on a spreadsheet.

“It reflects our priorities, values and a commitment to furthering the aspirations of our community. It is a roadmap that guides our actions, investments and services.”

He said this year’s budget had been one of the most challenging the borough had experienced in some time, citing state government rate caps and the increasing cost of materials and services.

Cr Isabelle Tolhurst said the budget put forward was a “responsible” one.

“It doesn’t seek to borrow money, it appropriately funds asset maintenance and renewal, satisfies financial sustainability indicators and rightly sets up a new council responsibly, without an excessive amount of carryover projects, and one that’s really observant of the challenging financial environment we’re operating in, which is often felt most acutely by the state’s smallest council.

“There’s definitely been a focus on assets by council internally and the community, and I think this budget shows that we remain responsible custodians of them financially.”

The budget does not include any new capital projects, a position the borough said was not reflective of its overall cash position, but a reduction in resource capacity which was required to ensure the council maintains a breakeven operational position.

It does however allocate $900,000 toward the borough’s annual asset renewal program for property, plant and equipment and infrastructure assets, and a $10,000 contribution to the Queenscliff Maritime Museum for the refurbishment of the Gil Allbutt boat shed.

As the council resolved during its February meeting, $300,000 remains earmarked for a contingent financial commitment to the Ballara Deakin Trust, should all legal requirements for the trust be put in place alongside confirmation of Deakin University’s financial contribution to protect the historically significant site in Point Lonsdale.

Rates are set to increase by 2.75 per cent, in line with state government rate capping framework, with the additional income generated from this increase estimated to be $200,000.

Meanwhile, waste management charges for residential properties over the year are projected to rise by $82, a 19.2 per cent increase.

Several councillors noted concerns with the significant budgeting increases for the use of consultants, most notably for the municipal building surveyor services, and in the borough’s roads, parks and maintenance contract.

“Though they do appear punishing to the council’s bottom line, I think, to look at this positively, the funding of these services enable us to do our job for community better and long-term, and actually satisfy a lot of the feedback we received during the budget survey process, so I’m optimistic about what expenditure can do in these areas,” Cr Tolhurst said.

“Staff budgeting is also a source of community interest, as it is a significant driver of operational expenditure.

“I acknowledge that the staff have made sincere efforts to reduce excessive costs, or to run things slimline, and I’m confident that what remains is in no way excessive and will support the delivery of our council plan and community’s expectations of us.”

To view the full budget, head to queenscliffe.vic.gov.au