Council News WAGGA WAGGA CITY COUNCIL
Issue 42
Weekly information from us to you
FIRST PRINTED SATURDAY 2 MAY 2015
Thousands mark Anzac Centenary More than 15,000 people marked Anzac Day in Wagga Wagga, with these images taken from the top of the Historic Council Chambers capturing the large crowd who turned out for the main service.
HAVE YOUR SAY Community input needed on draft budget Wagga Wagga City Council is calling on all of the community to help create a vision for the city’s future by having their say on the draft budget.
The Delivery Program and Operational Plan (DPOP) 2015-16 and Long Term
Financial Plan (LTFP) 20152025 are on public exhibition now until 26 May. Included is a total operating expenditure budget of $108 million for 2015/16, along with capital renewals of $15M and new capital expenditure of $36M. The budgets for both 2015/16 and 2016/17 years are balanced, with a surplus position forecast for 2017/18 and 2018/19. This position has been achieved with significant
changes to both the operational and capital budgets including savings over a 10-year period of $21.9M in salaries, $5.6M in utility costs and $2.6M in operational budgets. The savings have helped Council overcome unfavourable adjustments to revenue sources, including a three-year freeze on the indexation of the Federal Government’s Financial Assistance Grant ($9.4M) and predicted
reduction of return on investment of $1.4M over the 10-year period. Significant changes have been made to both operational and capital budgets since the review of the 2014/24 LTFP. The DPOP outlines Council’s commitment over the term of the current elected Council, identifying specific projects and budgets over a four-year period as well as identifying specific operations, services and
projects to be delivered during the 2015/2016 financial year. “In preparing the DPOP, Council has made decisions in adjusting its operations and ensuring it is progressing towards meeting the benchmarks required under the State Government’s ‘Fit For the Future’ reform package,” Director Corporate Services Craig Richardson said. “At the time of the release of the benchmarks, Wagga
Wagga met three of the seven benchmarks set by the State Government, but after further review we now meet four benchmarks. “Council is in the process of developing an action plan to identify how it will work towards meeting all of the benchmarks.” Both the draft DPOP and LTFP are available at wagga.nsw.gov.au or from Council’s Customer Service Centre. Submissions close on Tuesday 26 May.
You are invited to
Wagga Wagga Regional Family Day Care’s 40th Birthday Celebration
7.00pm Saturday 9 May 2015 | Wagga Wagga RSL Club, Mirage Room Tickets $45 | RSVP by Monday 27 April 2015 with payment to WWRFDC Office, Wagga Wagga Civic Centre, Ph: 6926 9367
nurture. inspire. educate
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– 2015