By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
Playing squash will be cheaper for the next 12 months but most other Geelong council charges will increase, draft budget papers reveal.
Hiring a day-time squash court at Corio Leisuretime Centre will cost $10 instead of $16 as the only decrease in a long list of user-pays facilities and memberships across City of Greater Geelong.
Tip fees, pet registrations, gym memberships, childcare costs, hall hire, green fees and car-parking permits all rise under the City’s draft 2016-’17 budget, released this week.
The staple of council fees and charges revenue – street parking – will rise 10 cents to $2.70 an hour.
The costs will increase as the budget accommodates the State Government’s 2.5 per cent cap on rates increases. Council had applied to break the cap for a 3.5 per cent increase but administrator Yehudi Blacher withdrew the application after the council’s sacking.
City chief Kelvin Spiller said the budget projected an average rise of 2.75 per cent across fees and charges, raising an extra $2.4 million.
“This reflects the true cost of delivering our many services, and is in line with cost increases, market levels, changes in supply and demand for services, and the user pays principle,” Mr Spiller said.
“Having said that, the city is committed to pricing services as fairly as possible to encourage maximum community use.
“The separate Waste Collection Service Fee will rise by 4.75 per cent (or $12.25) which partly reflects a compulsory Victorian Government levy, and that our growing population is generating more waste.”
But Mr Spiller said the rise was lower than the four year average of 4.95 per cent.
Overall the budget kept average residential rate rises to 2.5 per cent in accordance with a State Government imposed rate cap while delivering a $1.8 million surplus.
The City’s interim Administrator Yehudi Blacher confirmed the proposed budget included $400,000 to return the floating Christmas tree to Corio Bay in November.
“I know the floating tree has generated great public debate as to its cost versus its benefits, and I’m not proposing to overturn the previous council’s decision to fund it for another three years,” he said.
“However, I have requested City staff to commission an independent review of the 2015 Christmas program to ensure the reported economic and social benefits are fully justified.
“Based on that review, the administrators who succeed me can make an informed decision on the tree for 2016.”
The budget also revealed that $1.7 million in property sales from the last financial year were not achieved, with the sales still pending.
At the same time the city’s Geelong Ring Road Precinct industrial project at Corio required an extra $2.2 million in infrastructure funding to enable land sales.
The closing date for public submissions on the proposed budget is 7 June.
