Council adopts overall budget of $161.3M for 2017/18

Wagga Wagga City Council has this week adopted an overall budget of more than $161.3M for 2017/18.

Include in the overall figure is a total operating expenditure budget of $119.8M and a capital expenditure program of $41.5M, which features major projects such as the Bomen Enabling Roads and Levee Bank Upgrade.

Other major projects featured in the 2017/18 suite of Integrated Planning and Reporting (IP&R) documents include the Eunony Bridge replacement, multi-purpose stadium at Equex and upgrade works to the Livestock Marketing Centre and Wagga Wagga Airport.

“We are going through an unprecedented period of growth in Wagga Wagga, which has been reflected by our continued commitment to key projects such as the Bomen Enabling Roads and the Levee Bank Upgrade,” Mayor of the City of Wagga Wagga Councillor Greg Conkey OAM said.

“Our residents told us their vision for the future in Wagga View - Community Strategic Plan 2040, and the 2017/18 suite of Integrated Planning and Reporting documents we have just adopted ensures we are working towards those goals.”

The 2017/18 IP&R documents were the first for the new elected Council and comprise of the Delivery Program and Operational Plan (DPOP), Long Term Financial Plan 2017/27, Workforce Plan 2017/21, Fees and Charges 2017/18 and five Asset Management Plans covering buildings, sewer, stormwater, transport and recreational assets.

The documents were adopted at the June Council Meeting after being on exhibition for public comment.

This year’s budget also includes about $1.4M in contributions, grants and donations provided by Council to the community.

The new suite of documents will be available online at wagga.nsw.gov.au/ipr from 1 July.

Major projects for 2017/18

A number of important projects that will provide vital facilities for Wagga Wagga and create economic opportunities will be completed or get underway this financial year. Along with the many programs and services identified in the 2017/18 Combined Delivery Program and Operational Plan, Wagga Wagga City Council will be focused on:

• The completion of the Bomen Enabling Roads project followed by the replacement of Eunony Bridge
• Works starting on the Levee Bank upgrade project
• The multi-purpose stadium at Equex
• Important upgrades to the Livestock Marketing Centre and Wagga Wagga Airport

In 2017/18, for every $100 in rates generated, Council spends the following amounts on …

• Major works and construction: $25.75
• Governance and administration: $4.47
• Public order and safety: $2.27
• Health: $1.30
• Environment: $1.07
• Waste management: $13.03
• Library and community services: $3.98
• Housing and community amenities: $5.07
• Sewer services: $16.01
• Parks, recreation and culture: $15.67
• Roads, footpath and drainage maintenance: $9.11
• Economic affairs: $2.26

Integrated Planning and Reporting suite of documents

Integrated Planning and Reporting (IP&R) is the planning and reporting framework the Council uses to work towards achieving the community’s vision.
Under NSW Government legislation, councils must prepare a number of plans that provide details on how a council intends to deliver works and services in the short and long term. This is based on the community’s priorities, which have been identified through consultation and engagement, as well as the resources available to council in delivering these items. The framework ensures councils illustrate their various plans together, to understand how they interact in planning for the future.

Delivery Program and Operational Plan

The Delivery Program is a statement of commitment to the community from each newly elected council and sets out a four-year plan to respond to the community’s long-term vision as stated in Wagga View - Community Strategic Plan 2040.
The Operational Plan is a sub-plan of the Delivery Program and sets out the projects, programs and activities to be undertaken in a 12-month period. The Operational Plan includes a financial snapshot.

Long Term Financial Plan

The Long Term Financial Plan is a 10-year financial planning document with an emphasis on continuing to be ‘Fit for the Future’ ensuring that Council is financially sustainable, efficient, effectively manages infrastructure and delivers services to the community, and has the scale and capacity to effectively engage across the community, industry and government.
The plan is formulated by using a number of estimates and assumptions to project the future revenue and expenditure required of Council to deliver those services and projects expected by the community.
The Long Term Financial Plan for the 10 years 2017/18 to 2026/27 are balanced and this position has only been able to be achieved through each area within the organisation identifying significant budget reductions and operational efficiencies.

Asset Management Plans

The City of Wagga Wagga manages $1.7 billion worth of assets and there are five asset management plans for each asset type - buildings, recreational assets, sewer, stormwater and transport infrastructure networks.
Each plan sets out the level of service Council provides the community in relation to the assets. They use financial information and technical asset data, compared to service levels to identify funding shortfalls in managing the assets.

Workforce Plan 2017-21

The Workforce Plan focuses on current and future staffing needs to ensure Council has the right people in the right roles at the right time to deliver services to our community.
The Workforce Plan has been developed to outline strategies and initiatives to attract and retain a capable, efficient and effective workforce with the capacity to deliver on the Delivery Program and Operational Plans.