HORSHAM Rural City Council’s budget for 2018-19 is out for comment.
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The council estimates its income to reach $30.2 million. Its total service delivery and finance costs are $21.79m and its total initiatives and capital is estimated at $8.4m. Horsham mayor Pam Clarke said the proposed budget allocated $15.05m towards capital works expenditure - $8.32m is for renewal works, $1.89m for asset upgrades and $4.83m for new assets.
She said new assets would include $2.49m for core infrastructure assets for the further development of the Wimmera Intermodal Freight Terminal, about $980,000 for new plant and equipment, about $340,000 for footpaths and cycle-ways and about $770,000 for buildings.
She said a significant renewal project was a refurbishment of the outdoor pool in Horsham costing $1.34m.
Councillor David Grimble said the budget process showed that council could manage its financial affairs within the rate cap. He said the council should continue to show constraint regarding its finances.
“There is a limited way for council to raise revenue and one is through rates,” he said.
Cr John Robinson questioned why money was allocated to works to Horsham Civic Centre’s customer service area. He said the council had discussed that work, but he believed that the council had deemed it a low priority.
“I think the community would be disappointed because there were a range of priorities that we decided to be higher,” he said.
The draft budget includes a draft rates strategy that proposes to raise the farm rates by an average of 11.77 per cent. The residential rates are due to decrease on average by 0.58 per cent.