Council to consider draft budget for 2020 - 2021

Published on 20 May 2020

Snowy Valleys Council has put forward a draft budget for review at the May Council Meeting that maintains infrastructure spending, recognises organisational efficiency gains and acknowledges the impact of January bushfires and COVID-19.

“As part of the 2020-2021 Operational Plan, staff have put forward a responsible budget that retains service levels to the community, delivers programs to support the local economy and maintains our infrastructure,” said Snowy Valleys Council Chief Executive Officer, Matthew Hyde.

The implementation of a new organisational structure and the delivery of efficiencies as part of Council’s Sustainability Plan has delivered an improvement of over $2m to Council’s operating position since the Quarter 1 2019 Review and minimised the impact of annual award and industry increases to the bottom line.

“Council is one of the largest employers in our community, so as a result we play a big role in the local economy,” said Mr Hyde.

“It is incredibly pleasing to deliver a draft budget that recognises organisational efficiency gains and includes 12 new positions for trainees and apprentices that will provide additional local employment opportunities.”

One of the biggest ticket items in the draft budget is the capital works program. Totalling over $18.5M, it reflects Council’s recent success in securing capital grants and maintains expenditure on roads and the transport network.

“The capital budget includes $8.8M in upgrades to the roads and transport network, and importantly for our community still recovering from economic impacts of bushfire and COVID-19, will inject spending in the local community through the retention of skilled staff and purchase of materials and supplies,” continued Mr Hyde.

“Council has had to develop the draft budget at a time when the impacts of the bushfire and COVID-19 were still being revealed. As a result, we are foreshadowing changes to the budget may need to be made throughout the year as Council meets new challenges and assesses new opportunities to support the community.”

Highlights include:

• $2M improvement in operating position from Q1 2019
• $3.3M to deliver Food and Organics Recycling Project
• $1.1M for civic works for Snow Views Estate Stage 3
• $1.4M for Water renewal works, including $800K to renew the Tumbarumba Water Treatment Plant Dam Wall
• $550K to replace Tintaldra Culvert Bridge and Withers Bridge.

The Snowy Valleys Council meeting will be held at 2.00pm on Thursday 21 May. Due to COVID-19 guidelines currently in place, the meeting will be conducted remotely with the recording available for review from Council’s website at the conclusion of the meeting.

-ENDS-