Budget 2017

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The period for community consultation on the 2017 Draft Budget has concluded. A report on the community response was considered by staff and presented to the 13 June council meeting which adopted the final budget.

Orange City Council wants you to have your say on the proposed budget for the coming year.

Here you can :

  • read articles about major projects
  • find out about which roads will be targeted for upgrades
  • learn about the planned increase in rates, together with the new list of fees & charges for council services.
  • have your say by leaving a comment, or completing a survey.
  • you can also make a formal submission on the budget

Orange City Council wants you to have your say on the proposed budget for the coming year.

Here you can :

  • read articles about major projects
  • find out about which roads will be targeted for upgrades
  • learn about the planned increase in rates, together with the new list of fees & charges for council services.
  • have your say by leaving a comment, or completing a survey.
  • you can also make a formal submission on the budget
The period for community consultation on the 2017 Draft Budget has concluded. A report on the community response was considered by staff and presented to the 13 June council meeting which adopted the final budget.
  • Last week to comment on council budget

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    Orange residents have one more week to have their say on Orange City Council’s draft 2017/18 budget.

    Orange Mayor John Davis OAM said he is pleased with the number of people who’ve had their say about the budget so far.

    “This a very positive budget with extra money for footpaths and the next stages of projects like the Orange to Carcoar pipeline.

    "There is also continuing focus on roads and to ensure we have appropriate operational funds for important facilities such as the Aquatic Centre, child care services and water treatment. That why’s it’s good to see residents having their say.”

    As well as making formal budget submissions, many residents are having their say using the YourSay Orange website.

    In the first three weeks the budget has been up for community comment residents have :

    • filled-in 50 online surveys
    • left 20 comments in an online guest book
    • sent in 11 formal submissions
    “This is a good response but I am encouraging residents to take the opportunity in the next few days to have their say,” Cr Davis said.

    The deadline for comment is Tuesday 6 June. Formal submissions can be sent to :

    council@orange.nsw.gov.au or by visiting yoursay.orange.nsw.gov.au/budget-2017




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  • New draft budget set to deliver $40 million in projects

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    The draft Orange City Council budget delivers a $1.9 million surplus, increases funding for footpaths, provides more than $100,000 to community events, facilities and charities and includes more than $40 million in capital works.

    At a meeting last night (9 May 2017) the council voted unanimously to exhibit the draft Budget (2017/18
    Community Strategic Plan and Delivery/Operational Plan).


    Orange Deputy Mayor Jason Hamling said the draft budget continues to inject more funds into the roads.

    “We have been doing more work in roads in recent years and have brought forward a number of projects into 2017/18 including Escort Way, Cargo Road and Leeds Parade,” Cr Hamling said.

    Cr Hamling said staff and Councillors had been working on the draft budget for a number of months and now it was the community’s chance to have its say.

    “The Councillors listen to the community when setting priorities so I would urge Orange residents to speak up. There are always more demands than dollars but where ever possible we look to deliver,” he said.

    The capital projects in the 17/18 year include:
    • Central Tablelands Water/Cabonne Council and Orange City Council pipelines project
    • Scout camp development
    • Max Stewart Oval lights
    • Cricket Centre of excellence
    • next stages of the Southern Feeder road
    • next stage of Euchareena Road Waste Facility
    • CBD Water mains realignment
    • New cycleways
    • Former hospital demolition

    Some of the capital works projects will rely on other government funding to proceed.

    The Delivery/Operational Plan includes a 1.5 per cent rate pegging increase, which is set
    by the NSW Government.

    Together with water, sewer and waste charges, this proposed increase would add around $40 a year to the average residential rate notice taking it to $2,282.

    Cr Hamling said progressive Councils cover more than roads, rates and rubbish.

    “That is very true of Orange City Council. You cannot live or work in this city without being affected by the activities of the Council. The Community Strategic Plan and the Delivery/Operational Plan guide those activities,” he said.

    The deadline for community comments and submissions is 6 June.

    Community comment and submissions will be considered before the final budget plans is adopted at a council meeting on 13 June.

  • New wetland planned for Blackmans Swamp Creek

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    The 2017/18 draft budget includes a proposal to close a gap in Orange’s award-winning stormwater harvesting scheme.

    Of all the waterways that feed into the stormwater harvesting scheme, only Blackmans Swamp doesn’t have its own wetland.

    Orange Mayor John Davis OAM said Orange residents will be pleased that the stormwater scheme is expanding.

    WATER VIEWS : Mayor John Davis believes the new wetland won Blackmans Swamp Creek will be just as popular as the wetland in Ploughmans Valley.

    "The wetlands have a crucial role in taking the water that comes from suburban areas during a storm, and cleaning it up by letting it move slowly through an area with lots of plants that’s exposed to lots of sunlight," Cr John Davis said. "Wetlands like this have been built in Ploughmans Valley, Somerset and the Brooklands areas."

    "In the residential areas around the Brooklands and Somerset wetlands, it's been good to see how nearby residents have swapped their old colourbond back fences with a wire fence they can see through or they've removed the fence altogether. People love to look out over these constructed wetlands.

    The $1 million allocation ($200K next year and $800K in 2019/20) will see work get underway on a new wetland closer to the stormwater storage ponds.

    "After the creek leaves town and is boosted by occasional flows from the eastern Orange stormwater channels, the water would reach the wetland where it could accessed and pumped to the storage ponds.

    "Currently there’s only a small weir that allows for pumping only after heavy storms. The new wetland will even out the peaks as well as deliver cleaner water," Cr Davis said.

    There’s also an amount of $350K over two years for some rehabilitation to the banks of the creek.

    These funds will let rural sections of the creek be stabilised and fenced to keep livestock away.


  • Upgrade planned for Blowes Conservatory

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    The historic 'Blowes Conservatory in Cook Park will be upgraded as a part of draft 2017/18 budget.

    There’s an amount of $120,000 in the budget for the next financial year. The budget is currently on exhibition for community comment, and the Orange community has another two weeks to have their say on any aspect of the budget.

    Orange's City Council's Parks, Gardens & Waterways Committee chair, Cr Reg Kidd, said it's important the proposed upgrade goes ahead.

    "This funding will let some necessary work be done on the buildings windows and woodwork, as well as necessary re-wiring to allow for a lighting upgrade," Cr Reg Kidd said. "Some potential problems are starting to emerge with the brick walls and we’ll be looking closely at what needs to be done there to protect the building."

    "The conservatory is an important element of the park’s history and any work that’s done will be planned and executed in full consultation with heritage consultants."

    The conservatory dates from 1934 when it was donated to the people of Orange by a mayor of the time Mr A.W. Blowes.

    "It was donated so that Tuberous Begonias could be grown," Cr Reg KIdd said. "The staff of Cook park continue to have an important role in maintaining the plants and putting on this tremendous display every year."

    UPGRADE : Cr Reg Kidd and Cook Park team member Louise Aujard are looking forward to the upgrade of the historic Blowes Conservatory.




  • Foothold on footpaths

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    The proposed budget gives a higher priority for new paths and footpath maintenance.

    Council is proposing to spend $320,000 in the financial year starting 1 July and $350,000 to be spent in each of the next three years after that.

    Orange City Council has a detailed Assets Management system that routinely checks the quality of each asset such as roads and footpaths. The system assigns a 1 to 10 rating to each section of footpath which helps determine where that location should come on the priority list for work.

    The state of the footpath is one of a number of factors which also includes how much the path is used. For example, a footpath in Summer street that’s in better condition might take a higher priority for work than a poorer quality path which rarely gets used.

    Footpaths which have been raised during the budget process by councillors such as the path outside Anson Street school are high on the list of work. The priority list for renovating footpaths and building paths in new locations will be assembled once the budget has been finalised in June.

    Now’s the time for any resident to have their say about any aspect of the budget, including requests for particular locations for new paths or upgrades.

    Comments on the budget can be left online.

    Have your say and your comments will be presented to councillors before they vote on the final budget.


    Many elements of the budget rely on grant funding therefore, if the funding is not awarded to Orange City Council, these projects may not go ahead this financial year.


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  • How much will my rates rise?

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    On the income side, the proposed budget would see rates rise by the NSW Government’s rate-pegging limit of 1.5%.

    For the average residential rate-payer, total rates(including water, sewer and waste)would increase by about $40 taking the average residential rate notice to $2,282.

    Rates are budgeted to produce $43 million income during the year.


    Most other council fees and charges are expected to increase by 1.5%. Fees and charges are expected to contribute $33 million to the council’s budget.

    Income from government grants is budgeted to reach $43 million during the year.

    Contributions from developers are budgeted to contribute $4.3 million.

    Have your say on the draft 2017 budget by clicking here and participating in this short survey.


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  • Roads at a glance

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    Orange City Council’s draft budget proposes to spend about $18 million on roads, bridges, footpaths and cycle ways during the next financial year.

    Priority projects include a full rehabilitation and upgrade of Forest Road, from the Southern Feeder Road to Orange Health Service, an upgrade of Cargo Road, from Ploughman’s Lane to Whitton Place as well as an upgrade of Leeds Parade, from Margaret Street to the Northern Distributor Road.

    The next stage of the Southern Feeder Road is also planned to go ahead with an allocation of $5.7 million.

    The budget includes about $8 million worth of work that has been brought forward so the projects can be completed more quickly.

    On top of the roads program, there is $320,000 put aside for footpath repair as well as the construction of new footpaths such as along the Escort Way.

    The budget also proposes to spend an additional $1 million on footpaths over the next four years.

    These likelihood of completion of these projects and the funding allocated for each project depends on a range of circumstances subject to change throughout the year, such as the availability of grant funding, availability of contractors, tenders and the weather.

    The deadline for community comments and submissions is 6 June.

    Community comment and submissions will be considered before the final budget plans is adopted at a council meeting on 13 June.

    Make your say count by commenting in this website and participating in this short survey.


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  • Projects in the mix for council

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    As well as the 'big-ticket items', the proposed 2016/17 budget includes a range of smaller projects will be important for the community.

    These projects include :

    • Max Stewart Oval training lights - $97,000
    • Wade Park lighting upgrade - $140,000
    • Orange Botanic Gardens eastern entry boardwalk - $22,000
    • Refurbishment of the Orange Aquatic Centre changerooms - $102,000
    • Blowes Conservatory restoration in Cook Park - $120,000
    • Orange Civic Theatre upgrade including lighting - $150,000
    • Sewer upgrade at Lake Canobolas - $150,000
    • A southern link cycleway - $290,000
    • Bus shelter upgrades - $72,000
    • Pedestrian crossing lighting - $30,000

    Have your say on any element of the budget by clicking this link.

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  • Major project: Cricket Centre of Excellence

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    Orange City Council has allocated $2 million in the coming budget for the first regional Cricket Centre of Excellence.

    About $750,000 of the $2 million is coming out of council’s general funds with the rest promised by the state government and Cricket NSW.

    The Centre of Excellence will be the new base for the existing Cricket NSW development staff.

    The project includes two multi-purpose courts for indoor cricket, suitable for netball and futsal, four adjoining high-performance cricket lanes, change rooms, facilities for those with a disability, office space, a kiosk and a multi-purpose room with a viewing area looking over Wade Park.

    You can have your say on any element of the budget by clicking here.


  • Major project: Scout Camp redevelopment

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    Orange City Council plans to redevelop the Scout Camp near Lake Canobolas to create a hostel style, flexible accommodation precinct.

    The $1.8 million project is dependent on government funding, which has not yet been awarded, and the entire project spans about three years.

    Council plans to upgrade and expand the existing dormitories as well as build and renovate existing ablutions blocks.

    Orange does not currently have hostel style accommodation and students would be the main target users of this site.

    The Orange Scouts will continue to use the site.


    UPGRADE: The exciting Scout Camp hall.

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