News - Berwick Star News - 20th May 2021

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BERWICK

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Thursday, 20 May, 2021

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What a song and dance Sod turnings can be quite sombre affairs, but not so at Harkaway Hills College, where students put on a show for families and guests at the official start of works on a new kindergarten. The event featured songs performed by students at the school, and loud cheers accompanied the ceremonial dig and a ribbon-cutting on a new building - the latter finally being celebrated after a Covidinduced delay. For more, turn to page 13

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

Rates set to rise By Danielle Kutchel Casey Council has released its draft budget for 2021-22, with plenty of spending to help the community in its recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. The draft budget, released at a council meeting on Tuesday 18 May, totals $569.7 million, with a $421.17 million operational budget and a record $148.5 million Capital Works Program (CWP).

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The operational budget is an increase on last year’s $391.1 million, while the CWP is an increase on the $131.6 million seen in 2020-21. But the increases in spending will come at a cost to ratepayers, with rates set to increase in line with the state cap of 1.5 per cent. In the draft budget report, chair of administrators Noelene Duff stressed that hardship options are available for those who struggle to meet the increased cost, including deferments and waivers of interest and charges.

The rate increase is applied across the City of Casey, meaning ratepayers may not see an exact 1.5 per cent rise on their bill. Administrator Cameron Boardman said the decision to raise rates had not been taken lightly, and had been preceded by “line by line analysis” of the budget to consider alternatives. “If we don’t, it will create an unnecessary, undue and complicated financial pressure on the organisation for future budgets. “We don’t want to be in a situation that in the

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future, if we do need to readjust our finances, that the hit would be heavier than doing it on this occasion.” He said he wanted to give the community a “solemn and sincere understanding” that council officers had been challenged to find alternatives that did not pass on the full rate increase – but that ultimately, the cost of Casey’s “ongoing liabilities and obligations” and quality of service made the rise necessary. Continue page 3

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