Councillors endorsed the draft Integrated Planning and Reporting Suite of Documents at an extraordinary meeting in Cooma on Thursday 5 May 2022. Together, these documents and policies lay out scenarios for the financial future of Snowy Monaro Regional Council.
These documents are:
- 2023-2026 Delivery Plan – What Council will do in the next four years
- 2022-2023 Operational Plan – What Council will do over the next year
- Long Term Financial Plan – Forecast budget for next 10 years
- 2022-2023 – Budget for the next year
The Long-Term Financial Plan was amended at the meeting to add a fourth potential option for the community to consider. Three of these include applying for a rate variation over the long term, the third would see no rate increase beyond the state government’s standard yearly IPART rate peg increase.
Both the modest rate increase and no increase options would mean Council has no choice but to cut and reduce services, community facilities and staff.
The option which includes a higher increase to rates over the course of the next ten years, would mean Council is able to continue its path to a balanced budget without reducing and cutting these services, facilities and staff.
The additional scenario added by amendment at the meeting was the inclusion of a 5% rate increase over eight years, in addition to the other options.
Councillors voted to put the amended documents and policies on exhibition for 28 days from Monday 8 May 2022. Cr Stewart voted against the motion and Crs Frolich and Last were not in attendance.
Several councillors highlighted that these documents and policies are draft and that this exhibition and consultation period is specifically to hear what the community wants, and what the community thinks.
We will support and encourage our community members to tell us what the future of local government in our region should look like. That is why we will be undertaking extensive consultation – online, in-person and in print – so that you can tell us what services you want investment in, and which path forward we will take together.
