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Council’s ‘COVID’ budget

21/8/2020

1 Comment

 
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BASS Coast Shire Council adopted its 2020-21 Annual Budget at Wednesday’s council meeting.

The budget was delayed this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which provided the council with an opportunity to review its financial settings for the 2020/21 budget.
​

The impact of the pandemic on the community has been at the forefront of this review, with $2.8 million in economic stimulus and fee relief allocated in the 2020/21 Budget, including:
  • Freezing fees and charges increases for the 2020/21 financial year
  • A full year waiver of business signage, footpath trading and liquor licence fees
  • Three months’ rent relief to Council lessees
  • Business and Event recovery support
  • Fast tracking a number of strategic initiatives and capital works projects to stimulate the economy

Other highlights of the Budget include funding for the planning and/or design of a number of significant, intergenerational projects including:
  • Aquatics planning and design
  • Detailed design of the Cowes Cultural and Community Centre
  • Bass Coast Dinosaur Trail Master Plan
  • Gap Road feasibility assessment and plan and planning for the proposed Phillip Island transfer station

The Proposed Budget was made available for public comment following the June Council Meeting and 31 submissions were received. Of those, seven were heard in person.
In response to the submissions received from the community, there are a number of changes recommended to the final 2020/21 Budget.

These changes include allocating funding towards:
  • Phillip Island Golf Club - $20,000
  • Design of Kilcunda Skate Park - $42,000
  • Tenby Point noticeboard - $2,000
  • Corinella Parking and Pathway Connection - $26,000
  • Grantville Amphitheatre Shelter - $25,000
  • Footpath Gaps Program increased by $174,600 to complete the following:
  • Ullathornes Road Footpath - $37,500
  • Cashin St Footpath - $47,500
  • Settlement Road Footpath - $67,000
  • Bass Cenotaph Connection Path - $22,600

Bass Coast Mayor  Brett Tessari said the council could now get to work with delivering our record $28 million capital works program outlined in the Budget.

He said it was great to see a high level of community engagement with the Budget process.
“It is important to get the community involved with the Budget process – as the final result effects everyone – ratepayers, visitors and businesses.

“It was really pleasing to see that from the 31 budget submissions we received, we were able to assist some of those with funding in the 2020/21 Budget.”

Council’s adopted Annual 2020/21 Budget can be found at www.basscoast.vic.gov.au/budget.
1 Comment
Frank W Schooneveldt
24/8/2020 06:16:41 am

This budget is a bad budget because it does not address the backlog of the $600 million in infrastructure issues in the Bass Coast.
It does not fix the pot holes.
It does not fix the roads, drainage issues and other amenities like swimming pools.
And on another issue to quote the minister for agriculture David Littleproud in The Age of 24th August 2020, “we don’t subsidise our farmers, their on their own two feet”
Well I this budget we give our farmers a 20% discount on their rates, which is a subsidy.
It would be far better to pay our farmers some form of fee for looking after the land and environment they maintain.
Cheers

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