HAVE YOUR SAY ON COUNCIL’S DRAFT 2024/2025 BUDGET
Dubbo Regional Council’s (DRC) draft 2024/2025 Budget, Delivery Program and Operational Plan and associated documents are now on public exhibition with submissions from the community invited until 9am, Monday 3 June 2024.
The draft documents act as Council’s roadmap for the next 12 months and demonstrate how the organisation will work towards achieving the community vision in the Towards 2040 Community Strategic Plan.
“Over the past 12 months, Council has undertaken an independent financial sustainability review with the focus to build a financially sustainable future for Council. Council is not immune to rising costs, cost shifting from other levels of government, varying economic and market challenges,” DRC Mayor, Mathew Dickerson said.
“To achieve financial sustainability, Council has to make hard decisions to overcome some of these challenges and be disciplined with its spending to ensure we can continue to do the best we can for the community and maintain service levels where feasible.”
“We are keen to hear from the community about what the Council is proposing for the next 12 months. Whilst new ideas are welcome, we encourage the community to also consider what service or project might be reduced to accommodate a new suggestion,” Clr Dickerson said.
Over the next 12 months, Council will continue to focus on the renewal and reconstruction of roads in the region with $31.75M proposed to be allocated to repairing and rehabilitating urban and rural roads. Some proposed works include sections of Oxley Ave and Glasson St in Wellington, as well as Benolong Rd, Ballimore Rd, Tamworth St roundabout, Blueridge Link Rd Stage One and the River Street West Collector Road.
“We are continuing to undertake service review programs to identify service efficiencies and cost savings within the organisation,” DRC Chief Executive Officer, Murray Wood said.
“We are proposing to not proceed with several projects in the next 12 months that were previously planned for. This includes six road reconstruction projects across the region, further maintenance works on the Wellington Caves Complex and the Dubbo Regional Theatre and Convention Centre.”
“There are a number of proposed increases to some of Council’s fees and charges; this is to ensure Council can continue to deliver services and support the ongoing maintenance and renewal of facilities in our region into the future,” Mr Wood said.
The draft 2024/2025 Budget, Delivery Program and Operational Plan can be viewed online at yoursay.dubbo.nsw.gov.au. Alternatively, hard copies are available to be viewed in the Council’s Customer Experience Centres and the branches of the Macquarie Regional Library in Dubbo and Wellington.
Submissions are invited online until 9am, Monday 3 June 2024.
Last Edited: 02 May 2024