Draft Council budget gets on with the job

Orange City Council’s draft 2024/25 budget will focus on high levels of service and major capital works projects in the next financial year.

The budget acknowledges increasing costs and the likelihood of fewer government grants, while still meeting the needs of the community over the next 12 months.

Council’s draft 2024/25 spending and income plans are on exhibition for community comment for 28 days.

The budget’s sound fiscal management can be seen in:

• a modest deficit of $555,000, similar to last year’s deficit in the general fund
• interest income growing to $9.9 million through agile negotiation, an increase of $1.6 million from the previous year

Orange Mayor Jason Hamling said the budget would continue to face significant challenges.

“There’s been a slight increase in the state government’s rate cap of 4.7 per cent, up from 3.4 per cent, which acknowledges the increasing costs associated with delivering services,” Cr Hamling said.

“We know that residents and businesses are already facing tough times with their own cost-of-living challenges, but the alternative of not increasing rates would be to rob the community of the projects and services that a viable local council should offer.”

Under the draft budget, rates, together with fees and charges, will rise by 4.7 per cent:

• Average residential rates and charges will increase by $2.47 per week or $128.20 per year.
• Average business rates and charges will increase by $3.37 per week or $175.19 per year.

Cr Hamling said an important part of this year’s draft budget was continuing support for pensioners.

“Around 2700 of Orange’s 16,000 residences are eligible to receive a rebate of 10 percent of their total bills, which gives an average discount of around $550 per year for rates and water accounts,” Cr Hamling said.

The Council pensioner rebate can also be topped up by a NSW Government rebate.

Orange City Council’s Finance Committee Chair, Cr Kevin Duffy said he was pleased the budget was in good shape.

“We’re a growing community with a need for more community infrastructure, so it’s important that the Council has a number of major projects on the draft budget for the coming year,” Cr Duffy said.

The capital works budget totals $83 million.

Major capital projects to begin or continue during the 2024/25 financial year include:

• Sports precinct $60m
• Conservatorium $33.5m
• Lake Canobolas projects $1.6m
• Road construction $8.2m
• Airport LED lights $396k
• Fleet replacement $3.5m
• Building renewals $700k
• Footpath construction $610k
• Smart water meter program $800k
• Water mains replacements $880k
• Bloomfield water decommission $350k
• Sewage Treatment Plant inlet works $8.3m

The draft budget will be on exhibition for community comment until 5 June. A report on community submissions will be brought to the 21 June Council meeting when the budget and feedback will be considered.

Visit the YourSay Orange website at https://yoursay.orange.nsw.gov.au/budget-2024 where you can:

• find out more about the details of the budget

• leave a comment about any aspect of the budget

“I encourage everyone to head to the website and share their opinions on the draft budget. We want to hear from residents about the services and projects that matter to them. It’s important to have your say,” Cr Hamling said.