Have Your Say On Council's 2022/23 Draft Operational Plan
Published on 18 May 2022
Lismore City Council’s Draft 2022-2023 Operational Plan provides the community with a clear and transparent snapshot of Council’s financial situation.
It ensures the delivery of services our community needs while recovering from this year’s natural disaster events.
Councillors at this month’s Ordinary Council Meeting voted to place the Draft Budget on Public Exhibition for community feedback between 13 May to 10 June 2022.
The Draft 2022-2023 Operational Plan includes the Revenue Policy and Borrowings, Budget by Program, and Fees and Charges.
The budget is a back-to-basics budget and focuses on bringing the cost of business under control and in line with revenues. The five key pillars are: Limit financial impost on ratepayers, Economic development, Asset renewal and maintenance, Fiscal discipline and maintaining service levels.
Lismore City Mayor Steve Krieg said the budget focuses on the long-term financial sustainability.
“This Council was elected to make sensible decisions to improve Council’s long-term financial sustainability while increasing funding to improve our roads.
“Our first budget has delivered on this promise. The draft budget has no increase in rates, no increase in fees and charges, no new borrowings and no reduction in the services Council provides for the community.
“What it does have is a cash surplus, more investment in our roads, particularly for pothole repairs, and an overall improvement in our net operating result.
“This is a great outcome and the first step towards long-term financial sustainability. And it has been achieved despite the uncertainty caused by the worst natural disaster our community has ever experienced.”
While achieving an improved cash surplus of $585,000, the key highlights of the draft budget include an extra $4.4 million for our road network compared with last year’s budget, including $3 million for road construction, $700,000 more for pothole repair, $297,000 for footpaths, $444,000 for drainage, an extra $1.1 million to maintain community assets and an additional $100,000 to stimulate the local economy and $202,000 put aside for rental relief for organisation that rent Council-owned properties.
In addition, these investments are the foundation of a strategy which seeks to ensure Council’s internal operations are as efficient and effective as possible, unlocking improved productivity across the business and delivering long term financial sustainability.
To achieve the objectives of the budget, initiatives have been funded through the control of costs such as employee costs, consultancies, and the strategic redirection of funds.
Furthermore, no program will receive more funds than last year, and the Plan is concentrating on core business only and recovery from the 2022 Natural Disaster.
The Draft Operational Plan will go on Public Exhibition for community submissions from 13 May to 10 June. It will then go back to Council for adoption in June.
The community can read the Plan and make submissions by going to www.yoursay.lismore.nsw.gov.au.
Submissions can also be emailed to council@lismore.nsw.gov.au or sent to the General Manager, Lismore City Council, PO Box 23A, Lismore, NSW 2480.
Submissions must be received by 10 June 2022.