Draft Annual Business Plan & Budget 2023-2024

Council decision/outcomes

Council considered the feedback provided by the community at its meeting on Tuesday, 27 June 2023. Feedback received will also be used to inform the next Annual Business Plan and Budget.

Read the community engagement outcomes report

At this same meeting Council adopted the Annual Business Plan and Budget for 2023-2024.

A summary of changes from the draft plan to the final 2023-2024 Annual Business Plan can be found at the beginning of the plan, however key changes include:

• Reallocation of $284k from ‘Sports lighting renewal projects to address non-compliant’ to the Burragah Reserve Lighting Upgrade project after Council resolved to accept State government grant funding of $282k for this upgrade at its meeting on 23 May 2023
• To carry forward $1.703m of income and $6.861m of expenditure into the 2023-2024 Annual Business Plan as projects carried forward from the 2022-2023 year
• A reduction the Material, Contracts and Other expenditure by $247k due to a lower than predicted growth figure. The Operating Surplus has remained unchanged

More information about rates and our plans for the next 12 months is on our website

The 2023-2024 Annual Business Plan Summary is also available.

Read the Council reports and minutes for the Council meetings noted above

Background

This plan sets out our proposed projects, services and programs for the next financial year and how we intend to fund them.

Despite the current economic climate, we have put together a strong plan for the coming year that will improve safety, aesthetics and wellbeing across our City.

Like our community, we also face significant cost pressures as a result of external factors outside of our control. These factors include increasing electricity costs, high interest rates, State Government fees and charges that have increased by CPI or more and contract price rises due to the CPI.

Through careful financial management and planning, and mindful of current rising costs to our community, we propose a residential rate rise of 6.5% (excluding growth) which is slightly lower than CPI. This equates to approximately $1.95 per average residential ratepayer per week.

In addition to the external factors listed above, this increase is also due to rising community expectations, such as the desire for more verge-cutting cycles. Extra rounds of verge cutting accounts for 15 cents per ratepayer per week of the proposed increase.

We have been careful not to increase Council debt. This allows us to remain in a sound financial position so we can better navigate the current uncertain economic conditions.

About $52 million has been allocated towards community infrastructure projects including upgrading sporting facilities, roads, footpaths and playgrounds.

We will continue with our ongoing LED street lighting conversion program as part of our environmental sustainability initiatives – saving energy, improving lighting and providing long-term savings for our community. This program has played an integral role in maintaining rates below CPI for households.

The rest of our budget will largely fund key services for residents, such as waste collection, verge mowing, library services, and community centres.

View the documents here:

• Draft Annual Business Plan 2023-2024
• Draft Annual Business Plan 2023-2024 Summary Sheet

To get involved and have your say:

• Review the draft Annual Business Plan 2023-2024 and/or summary sheet
• Provide your feedback by using the online feedback form below
• Send us an email submission
• Post a submission to PO Box 571 Modbury SA 5092
• Come to the Council meeting on Tuesday 23 May at 8.00pm where you can make a verbal submission and/or ask questions
• Ask a question in the Question & Answer tool below (have a look at the FAQs to the right of this page or see what other questions have been asked)

Hard copies of the draft Annual Business Plan, Summary Sheet and feedback form are available at the Council's Civic Centre, 571 Montague Road, Modbury during business hours.

Consultation is open until 5pm Friday 2 June 2023.

Council will consider all valid submissions before the adoption of the final Annual Business Plan and Budget for 2023-24, and determine whether the direction and focus of this plan is appropriate, and to what extent the proposed initiatives and standards of service will be funded.

If you need assistance to participate in this consultation, please call the Community Engagement team on 8397 7444 or send us a message