Final borough budget delivers wins for museum, environment, signage

THE Borough of Queenscliffe adopted its final budget for the coming financial year last week, with the local maritime museum among the late-stage winners.

After failing to secure any funding in the borough’s draft budget, the Queenscliffe Maritime Museum has picked up $30,000 in funding to assist with the centenary celebrations for the historic “Queenie” lifeboat, set to take place next year, $5,000 for artefact restoration and a further $5,000 to install a heating and cooling system in the museum’s administrative office.

A wetland vegetation management project to be overseen by the Swan Bay Environmental Association has also secured $5,000 in funding, while a Queenscliffe Climate Action Now-led project to install a solar system at the Golightly Park amenities block has picked up $15,000.

Echoing her sentiments from the council’s May meeting, councillor Isabelle Tolhurst said the budget “struck a balance” between the borough’s legislative requirements and the needs of the community, particularly those struggling with cost-of-living pressures.

She celebrated the added funding contribution for the Queenscliffe Maritime Museum, noting its “key role” in telling the borough’s “town story”, as well as $100,000 to deliver the Hesse Street revitalisation project and $30,000 to deliver a wayfinding signage strategy.

The budget includes rate increase of 3 per cent, in line with the state government’s cap, and forecasts a modest, recurring surplus of $146,000.

Residential properties will still see an $8, or 1.6 per cent, decrease kerbside and public waste charges, but commercial and vacant land properties, which are only subject to public waste charges, will experience a 42 per cent increase of $60.

“The Borough of Queenscliffe currently has a debt free balance sheet and no new borrowings are included in this budget,” mayor Di Rule said.

“It is critical we operate as efficiently as possible to remain financially sustainable. To that end, with the support of the CEO and officers, we will continue to cross-examine this budget at each quarter.

“If there are savings to be made, we’ll make them, and because all potential avenues for achieving efficiency savings must be actively explored, we will undertake an efficiency review of our organisation.”

A financial sustainability committee will also be established, with the remit to provide advice to the council on long-term financial planning, including brainstorming ways to increase revenue.