Focus on key priorities helps deliver modest rate increase

A focus on key priorities such as roads, water infrastructure and maintaining community facilities forms the basis of the 2011-12 council budget.

Council will invest significant funds in reconstructing the region’s road network and providing basic infrastructure for water and sewerage

Community Services portfolio councillor Karen May said while this has placed pressure on availability of funds, council has allocated over $3 million in 2011-12 budget to maintain and upgrade the community’s assets.

“We have a strong commitment to our community and delivering a rate increase well under five per cent had been a fundamental part of council’s budget deliberations,” she said.

“As part of an organisational wide Service Level Review, we scrutinised the operation of community facilities to look at where we could achieve operational efficiencies.”
 
Minor changes will be made to operating hours at the Memorial Swim Centre and Artspace Mackay to deliver significant savings to ratepayers.

“By implementing these changes, it allows council to focus its attention on key priorities and provide additional funds for the maintenance and upgrade of our community facilities,” she said.

As from July 1, Artspace Mackay will not open on Sundays.

The facility averages about 30 visitors on a Sunday and the change is likely to have minimal impact.

Health, Sport and Recreation portfolio councillor Paul Steindl said usage on weekends at the two Mackay swimming centres is relatively low and didn’t justify the expense of penalty rates and overtime.

“As a result we will have the one city based pool open on the weekends along with the Bluewater Lagoon.”

Cr Steindl said the Memorial Swim Centre will remain open on weekends until September with the Pioneer Swim Centre being the city’s weekend pool thereafter.

Projects earmarked for Community Facilities as part of the 2011-12 budget include:

• Replace the 23 year old air-conditioning unit at the Mackay Entertainment Centre
• Upgrade several Community Halls and Greenmount Homestead
• Implement new technology for the borrowing of library books
• $350,000 allocated to support community, arts and sporting groups
• Funding to drive community celebrations for the 2012 Mackay 150 commemorations

Contact: Mackay Regional Council

Phone: 1300 MACKAY (622 529)