Residents of the Central Coast have until June 13 to write submissions on the Central Coast Council’s draft operational plan and budget for 2017-18.
The draft plan incorporates the actions Council proposes to undertake during the next financial year, including setting a budget, fees and charges, as well as detailing a capital works program to deliver infrastructure and services to the community.
The draft Operational Plan and Budget for 2017 – 2018 can be viewed via links on the yourvoiceourcoast.com website.
According to Council’s Administrator, Mr Ian Reynolds, the 2017-18 capital works program will be $207.5m, a 13 per cent increase.
Nearly 74 per cent of that will be spent on roads, transport, drainage, water, sewer, open space and recreation.
A 93-page report details each capital project to be undertaken by Council in the next financial year.
A second document gives a financial overview and states Council will spend $551m on essential services and a further $208m on assets.
Council’s profit and loss statement, which compares the 2016-17 budget with the 2017-18 draft budget, indicates that while operating income from rates and annual charges is set to decrease by $4m, income from user charges and fees will go up by $11m.
Operating expenses reveal a $14.6m increase in employee benefits and on-costs, even though wages and personnel-related expenses were held up by the NSW Government as an area expected to reap considerable savings for amalgamated councils.
Other expenses, not defined in the document, are also set to increase by $27m.
Capital grants and contributions, on the other hand, are budgeted to halve, declining from $51.5m in 2016-17 to $28.2m in the next financial year.
Source:
Draft operational plan and budget for 2017-18
Central Coast Council website