Tamworth Regional Council will spend a total of $179 million across its general, water and sewerage funds in 2019/20 while collecting $72 million in income from rates and annual charges and delivering an $80.7 million capital works program to improve local facilities and infrastructure.
Councillors at tonight’s Ordinary Meeting formally adopted the 2019/20 Annual Operational Plan which sets out the service delivery, projects and works council will carry out in the coming year along with the schedule of rates, fees and charges.
Tamworth Region Mayor Col Murray said the Budget is the roadmap for the next year’s expenditure and delivery of projects.
“I encourage the community to take comfort we are quite solid financially but we face continual pressure with cost increases and changing expectations about what the core business of Council is,” he said.
“We work hard through the community strategic plan process to understand the needs and wants of the community. The Budget is a very serious attempt to address those needs and wants.”
The major capital projects allocated funding for the coming year include:
Manilla Water Supply Upgrade – $14 million
Northern Inland Centre of Sporting Excellence Stage 2 – $9 million
Road pavement renewals – $3.4 million
Road reseals – $3.4 million
Gravel road renewals – $2.07 million
Manilla Low Level Bridge – $5.5 million (total project is $8,773,892)
Tamworth Regional Astronomy and Science Centre – $1.4 million
Garoo Road upgrade – $1.8 million
Bowlers Lane upgrade – $2.9 million
There will be a 2.7 per cent increase in ordinary rates, which is the increase approved for 2019-20 for all NSW Councils by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal. The total rates income is $36.8 million.
Council will increase water, sewerage and trade waste service and waste management charges by 2.7 per cent. Consumption charges for water use will also increase by 2.7 per cent. Changes to fees and charges include the cost of accessing water from bulk water refill stations located around the region to increase from $2.50 to $10 a kilolitre from July 1, 2019.
2019-2020 Budget highlights
Roads program:
Council will spend about $16 million on road improvements in 2019-20. This includes $3,411,299 for pavement renewals; $3,457,009 for road reseals; $610,000 for a new roundabout on Garden Street; $1,819,900 Garoo Road upgrade; $2,994,513 Bowlers Lane upgrade; and, $2,075,063 gravel road renewals. The single biggest roads project is the construction of a new Manilla Low Level Bridge which is allocated $5,500,000 in the 2019-20 Budget.
Waste management:
A range of improvement works have been funded at landfill sites across the region including $1.2 million for CCTV installation at Watsons Creek, Kootingal, Somerton, Duri, Dungowan and Nundle; $1.78 million for a new weighbridge, washbay upgrade and other improvements at Tamworth’s Forest Road Landfill; $1.5 million for new community recycling facilities at Kootingal and Barraba; and $934,125 for capping of the Bendemeer landfill. A $400,000 allocation has been budgeted in 2019-20 towards the proposed $15.2 million Tamworth Organics Recycling Facility ($3 million in State Government funding has been secured towards the project).
Water services:
More than $26 million will be spent on capital works for water services with the single biggest allocation being $14 million for the Manilla Water Treatment Plant Upgrade. The other includes $2,200,000 million for ongoing water main renewals; $1,515,000 for the replacement of the One Tree Hill reservoir roof; $4,538,497 for a new storage at Calala Water Treatment Plant; and, $2,267,000 for design and construction of new water mains as part of the proposed Arcadia residential development south of Tamworth.
Wastewater services:
More than $6.3 million will be invested in various sewer works including a $1,010,000 upgrade to the Sewer Pump Station in Swan Street, Tamworth; $1,956,908 for new sewer mains for the proposed Arcadia residential development south of Tamworth; and, $1,500,000 for sewer mains rehabilitation and reconstruction.
Rates:
There will be a 2.7 per cent increase in ordinary rates, which is the increase approved for 2019-20 for all NSW Councils by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal.
Water, sewer and waste charges:
Council will increase water, sewerage and trade waste service and waste management changes by 2.7 per cent. Consumption charges for water use will also increase by 2.7 per cent. Changes to fees and charges include the cost of accessing water from bulk water refill stations located around the region to increase from $2.50 to $10 a kilolitre from July 1, 2019.
