Mayor's 2024-25 Budget Address

The 2024-25 Budget is the first of this new Council term. Our priorities, though, remain the same. Our community expects that we focus on the efficient and cost-effective delivery of Council’s core service and responsibilities, and this budget delivers on that expectation.

This budget retains Council’s debt-free status and keeps rates as low as possible against a background of significant cost increases, which is being felt right across the community.

The budget emphasis is on replacing, renewing and maintaining existing assets. This will ensure well-maintained parks, gardens, halls and sporting facilities. Council continues to improve its local road network and repair them following three wet years. Our library and other community services continue to deliver essential opportunities for our residents.

Keeping Rates Low Despite Rising Costs

We understand that rising costs puts pressure on household budgets, just like it does for our Council operations. We've faced significant increases in contractor fees and essential equipment and materials costs. Despite these challenges, we've made it a priority to keep the average annual rate increase for 2024-25 to 4.9% (after discount). For 79% of our ratepayers, this is an increase of $2 or less per week; this includes 183 ratepayers who will have a reduction in rates this coming year. This reflects our commitment to affordability while ensuring we can continue providing essential services to our community. Our total operational budget for this year is $51.15 million, with a capital budget of $20.36 million. While there's a small budget deficit due to the accounting for depreciation, we continue to work to find efficiencies and keep costs down.

Council has already secured $24.9 million in external funds for the upcoming year, which will help offset some costs and support critical projects and initiatives. We will continue to pursue all options to find additional funding and reduce the burden on ratepayers and residents.

Financial Sustainability and Boosting the Local Economy

This Council takes pride in being recognised by the Queensland Audit Office as one of the most sustainable councils in Queensland. We prioritise financial prudence, ensuring we remain debt-free and maintain a solid financial position with modest reserves. This strong foundation allows us to continue delivering the services you rely on, giving you confidence in our ability to manage the budget effectively.

This current financial year, Council's direct local spending has surpassed $55 million, representing around 65% of our overall budget. This reflects our ongoing commitment to investing directly back into our local economy.

Investing in Roads

We take pride in enhancing our local Council-controlled road network, with the total operational and capital works budget being $18.9 million in 2024-25. However, the deteriorating condition of national and state roads increasingly diverts traffic onto our local road infrastructure, for which we receive no extra funding. Council continues to advocate strongly for increased state and federal funding to address what Council estimates to be around a $23 million shortfall in funding for high-priority repairs and maintenance on state and federal highways.

Our local road infrastructure investments in the upcoming year are substantial, including:

• $1.8 million for road reseals
• $1.7 million for gravel road re-sheeting
• $400,000 for the Daymar Weengallon Road seal extension
• $400,000 for the Goodar Road pavement widening
• $122,000 for parking and crossing improvements at Eena St, Yelarbon
• $110,000 for kerb and channel repairs in Inglewood
• $45,000 for the Talwood Mungindi Road culvert
• $120,000 for the Freezing Works Road drainage in Texas

Investing in Our Communities: Our Core Focus

We’re committed to delivering quality services that positively contribute to the lifestyle of every resident across the region, from Gore to Weengallon and Billa Billa to Texas. We invest beyond just infrastructure, focusing on contributing to vibrant and thriving communities.

This commitment translates to a strong focus on essential services:

• We're allocating $2.4 million to maintain flourishing parks and gardens.
• Cemeteries will receive $310,000 for upkeep, and libraries will benefit from $470,000 in support.
• An investment of $1.87 million will go towards maintaining and upgrading sporting facilities, including our three regional pools. Additionally, $1.24 million is budgeted to operate and upgrade community halls, facilities, and museums.
• A $1.47 million investment will tackle invasive pests, manage stock routes and reserves, and include $550,000 to continue replacing Council's wild dog check fence.

Some of the major projects across the region include:

• The Goondiwindi pool will receive $170,000 towards replacing the wading pool filter, and the Inglewood pool will receive $21,000 towards accessibility improvements.
• $50,000 is allocated for roof repairs and a new outdoor seating area at the Texas Memorial Hall
• There is a $150,000 investment in new irrigation at the Texas Sport Oval.
• A $500,000 investment is earmarked for upgrades to the Goondiwindi aerodrome, which are essential for emergency services and the business community.

We're proud to partner with local organisations. This year, over $450,000 is allocated to our community grants program. This includes nearly $50,000 to the Regional Arts Development Fund alongside Arts Queensland.

These investments make a real difference in the lives of our residents, both in our towns and rural areas.

Partnerships and Innovation Driving Growth

Council understands the importance of partnerships in securing funding for critical projects. We've already secured $24.9 million in external funds for the upcoming year, which allows Council to invest in important projects at a reduced cost to the ratepayer. For example, the recent Inglewood Macintyre Sports Field lighting upgrade, for which the Queensland Government provided $159,630.

Our commitment to innovation through external funding extends to several initiatives:

• $350,000 for a waste-to-energy feasibility study as we explore ways to convert some of our region's rapidly accumulating landfill waste into usable energy sources.
• Over $1.5 million will be spent on the Casa Mia site, including the refurbishment to achieve Inglewood's five new independent living units.
• $175,000 has been allocated to road flood alert technology, enhancing our response time and accuracy of information during flood events.

Previous Council initiatives to encourage housing development have shown success, and we're committed to finding new solutions for the region's housing pressures. In the upcoming financial year, Council has announced that it will waive fees for water connection, plumbing and drainage, and building applications, and offer rebates on surplus Council land sales. These incentives aim to stimulate growth and housing investment in the region.

Investing in Water, Sewerage & Waste

We're facing a significant challenge this year: a surge in waste management costs exceeding $1 million (over 30% increase) compared to 2023-24. This is an enormous and increasing burden on ratepayers and is not sustainable. The state government enforces an impractical one-size-fits-all approach to waste, and the associated compliance and delivery costs are rising substantially for us. Council is partnering with other councils in Southern Qld to push for state government changes to waste regulations. Regardless of these challenges, Council continues to invest in waste infrastructure, including improvements at the Inglewood landfill, upgrades to processing software at landfill sites, signage improvements, and cameras to deter illegal dumping. Our total investment in waste management for 2024-25 is almost $4 million.

One of the primary responsibilities of local government is managing water and sewerage services and infrastructure. Our Council's networks would cost hundreds of millions of dollars to replace. In the not-too-distant future, Council will face the reality of having to do this with some of our region’s facilities, with preliminary planning processes underway. Changes to state government water and sewerage quality regulations may accelerate this reality. For example, a new water treatment plant without state government financial support in Inglewood would exhaust virtually all of Council's financial reserves. 

This year Council will invest $15.5 million in water and sewerage infrastructure and service delivery. This includes $7.8 million in capital works improvements across Talwood, Yelarbon, Goondiwindi, Texas, and Inglewood. Notably, a multi-year $4 million project for Texas sewerage infrastructure improvements will commence this year. There is also $280,000 allocated to an extension of the Talwood sewerage infrastructure.

Initiatives to Limit Rate Rises and Land Valuations

We understand that managing the increasing costs of household and business budgets can be challenging. To ease the burden, Council continues to offer all ratepayers a 15% discount for early rate payment. Additionally, pensioners can apply for a separate discount program, further assisting our region's vulnerable residents.

Recent land valuation increases from the Queensland Government may affect individual property rates particularly where there is extraordinary growth. These valuations don't automatically increase Council's overall budget. However, to minimise the impact on individual ratepayers, Council uses tools like differential rating and a 20% cap on individual annual rate increases for 2024-25.

Over 5,800 property assessments exist across the region; however, 11% are exempt from Council rates, including those owned by the state government, religious entities, and Council itself. These properties include reserves and forests where Council is responsible for maintaining stock routes, wild dog fencing, and gravel roads without any rate income to support these activities.

Focus on Priorities; Efficiency is Key

As I previously said, Council focuses on key priorities and keeping our administration lean and efficient. Every dollar counts, and this budget ensures your resources are directed towards service delivery, not unnecessary bureaucracy and administration.

We maintain a small, efficient administrative and customer support team to support day-to-day enquiries alongside our dedicated outdoor staff, who comprise 65% of our workforce. These outdoor crews are the backbone of our community service provision, ensuring parks, gardens, water, waste, sewerage, and roads are safe and functional and contribute positively to every resident's lifestyle.

We understand the importance of a thriving local economy. That's why we continuously work to reduce unnecessary compliance burdens and regulations for businesses and households and provide timely responses, particularly with planning and approval requirements. That is aside from the regulations we are required to administer on behalf of the state.

My fellow Councillors and I believe in a balanced approach. This budget prioritises responsible financial management while providing affordability for residents. Efficiency is critical, allowing us to maximise the impact of our budget and maintain high service delivery standards.

By doing our core business better, we make our region a better place for families to live and enjoy and make it an easier place to invest in and do business.