2021/22 Budget for Glenorchy Approves

If Glenorchy’s economy is a sail in the sea, the past months would have to be the waves and fluctuating tides of the journey before reaching the longed destination of stabilisation.

Safety, sustainability, and growth.

These are the main focus of the proposed 2021/22 budget which was approved by the Glenorchy City Council on Monday night.

Acting Mayor, Bec Thomas, said that the development of this budget is anchored to ensure that the community’s recovery to the COVID-19 pandemic will be continued and to set the city to thrive up in the long run. “This proposed budget is about improving Council’s financial stability, identifying savings measures, and investing in economic growth initiatives to capitalise on the unprecedented levels of development and investment in our city,” she explained.

For the next financial year, the budget forecasts a deficit of $1.3 million, due to the impacts of the global pandemic. Along with this is the prediction of a return to surplus by the financial year 2025-26.

In the upcoming budget, the Council proposes to increase its rates by 2.5%–the same rate increased in the last 2020/21 budget. But, as part of the Community Assistance Package, primarily due to the impacts of COVID, this rate increase was rebated. Hence, residents did not pay any increase in rates, fees, and charges on their 2020 rates bill. In figures, a total of $1.9 million in relief to ratepayers was distributed.

“The COVID-19 Community Assistance Package we passed last year did not come without cost. Despite the steps we took to limit the fallout from COVID, and signs of growth in our economy, it will still take ongoing discipline and careful financial management to get our operating budget back in the black,” Thomas mentioned.

An increase of $12 to $17 waste collection fees for most households was also highlighted. This depends on the waste services provided, to cover the increasing cost of waste management and “to absorb the Tasmanian’s Government proposed $20 per tonne waste levy”. This year’s waste charge increases will be additional to last year’s.

With respect to the unprecedented development and investment in the city, a total of $1.9 billion is proposed for Glenorchy over the coming years. $25 million from this is eyed to be set aside for the capital works program initiated for 2021-22.

“The capital works program includes a range of projects to maintain and upgrade Glenorchy’s important infrastructure to cope with increased demands now and into the future, while continuing to stimulate the economy to promote growth.”

The record $25 million proposed capital works is allocated to different key projects for Glenorchy such as road and transportation, sports, natural phenomena, public facilities, and other economic-related programs.

A total of $8.4m will be allotted for road and transport projects, $3m for road resurfacing, $2.2m for fixing trip hazards all throughout the city. A sum of $4.7m will be used to build new sports and recreation facilities, funded by the Australian government, such as new destination playgrounds at the Montrose Foreshore and Giblins Reserve and upgraded soccer facilities at KGV.

Projects under Council’s Economic Recovery Program will also be funded with $1.5m. This includes the Greater Glenorchy Plan ($135,000), relocation of the Southern City BMX track from the Berriedale Peninsula to Tolosa Park ($460,000), and implementation of the Marine and Innovation Master Plan for Prince of Wales Bay ($200,000).

Naturally-occuring phenomena will also be prioritised with a $1.3m budget on flood mitigation projects and in extending Council’s stormwater network to unserved areas. New cell at the Jackson Street landfill will also be constructed for $3.5m.

Upgrading of public facilities such as the public toilets at Giblins Reserve will be allocated with $350,000. A total of $400,000, on the other hand, will be used to upgrade the footpath linking the Intercity Cycleway through to MONA and to improve tracks and trails in the reserves, including upgrading Lutana Woodlands’ paths and the fire and mountain bike trail network in Wellington Park.

“We have meticulously worked through our finances, to ensure we continue to support our community, and can deliver on our promise to limit this year’s rates increase to 2.5%,” reassured Acting Mayor Thomas.

In the face of COVID‑19, Australia (Glenorchy in particular) may have achieved world-leading health outcomes, with fewer infections, hospitalisations, and casualties than most other areas, the Glenorchy City Council still believes that ongoing discipline and careful financial management is necessary to keep the ship smooth-sailing in this current wave of life.

Indeed, from the wise words of Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, it’s safe to say that “the Australian economy is well on its way to recovery.”