Council adopts overall budget for 2024-25

Published: 25 Jun 2024 12:02pm

Wagga Wagga City Council has this week adopted an overall budget of $240 million, including total operating expenditure, capital renewals, and new capital projects.

The overall figure includes a total operating expenditure budget of $159.31 million in addition to more than $81 million of capital works projects and programs for the 2024/25 financial year.

Council adopted the Operational Plan 2024/25, the fees and charges for the financial year 2024/25, and the Long Term Financial Plan (LTFP) 2024/25, at its Ordinary Meeting on Monday 24 June.

These documents inform how Council operates, from rubbish and roads to our parks, cultural and sporting facilities, to maintaining or improving existing facilities.

For the 2024/25 financial year, Council has forecast a balanced budget for the first year of the LTFP, with the financial years 2025/26 to 2026/27 projecting deficits and years 2027/28 to 2033/34 showing surpluses for the 10-year rolling plan.

Mayor of the City of Wagga Wagga Councillor Dallas Tout said Council’s budget and delivery program focus on delivering services for a growing and diverse community while planning for the future.

“Financial sustainability is one of the key issues facing local government due a range of factors, such as growing demands for community services and facilities and their ongoing operational costs, constrained revenue growth and ageing infrastructure,” Cr Tout said.

“The projected deficit positions from 2025/26 to 2026/27 highlight the significant challenges Council has been facing with revenue restrictions and rising costs.

“It will continue to have a substantial impact on the delivery of projects and services, which will require Council to be highly innovative and efficient in delivering the Operational Plan and Delivery Plan items.”

The capital works projects and programs account for more than $81 million of the planned activities for the 2024/25 financial year.

Among the significant one-off projects capital works projects are the Jim Elphick Tennis Centre Upgrade, Bill Jacob Athletics Centre, and some upgrades to the Gregadoo Waste Management Centre.

The $16.7 million allocation for roads includes one-off roads projects and recurrent roads program budgets, such as the Pine Gully Road Corridor Works ($2,034,453), Local Road Repair Program ($2,804,143); Pavement Rehabilitation Program ($3,798,831); and Reseal Program (Renewal) ($3,215,989).

Council staff will present a further report at the next available Council meeting with the information necessary to consider an amendment to the Public Art Policy (POL109) to remove the $50,000 cap currently placed on Public Art funding.