Gladstone Regional Council hands down surplus Budget 2022-2023 as residents brace for 4.5 per cent rate increase
Gladstone ratepayers will see an increase to their rates bills this year as the Council hands down its first budget surplus in more than three years. See the budget highlights and where our rates rank against SEQ and our CQ neighbours.
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Ratepayers in the Port City are bracing for an increase to their annual rates bills as the Gladstone council hands down its first surplus budget in over three years.
While the 2022/23 Budget will see the average residential ratepayer only fork out an extra 2.5 per cent, the general rate will increase by 4.5 per cent in what the mayor has labelled one of the most challenging budgets to deliver amid rising inflation.
This year’s total budget of $260.4m is boosted by $14.2m in support from the state and federal governments and is backed by a $51.4m capital works package for maintenance and upgrades to key council assets and community projects.
After three consecutive years of budget deficits, the Gladstone Regional Council (GRC) has handed down a budget surplus which it intends to use to pay down existing debt.
After increasing the general rate in line with CPI last financial year, this year’s increase of 4.5 per cent falls below the current CPI (Brisbane rate) increase of six per cent.
Rates and service charges such as water, sewerage, and waste have increased by 5.66 per cent.
Under its motivational banner of “Connect, Innovate and Diversify”, the council has allocated $1.4m to key community projects including the Boyne Tannum Aquatic Recreation Centre (BTARC), the Harvey Road Sports and Events Precinct, and finalising aged care investment options at Philip Street.
The average daily cost for utility charges outlined in this year’s budget is $4.95, which is an increase of 40 cents on last year’s.
GRC BUDGET IN NUMBERS:
$54.9m – roads, bridges, footpaths and drainage
$42.1m – water services
$36.2m – sewerage services
$24.2m – waste services
$32.7m – parks/environment, arts/ culture, community development/ support
DISCOUNTS AND DEBT
Ratepayers can secure a 10 per cent discount to their rates bill if they pay in full within 60 days (on or before October 26) while pensioners are entitled to an additional $310 rebate to further ease cost pressures.
The GRC 22-23 Budget will be the final edition which reimburses ratepayers for the State Government Waste Levy.
The Council intends to use it’s small surplus to tackle existing debt, which will see interest bearing debt decline to $92.8m by June 2023 – a $5.8m reduction from June 2022.
This year’s budget marks a decade of no new borrowings for the council.
LATER: SEE HOW GLADSTONE’S RATES COMPARE TO ROCKHAMPTON, BUNDABERG, BRISBANE, ETC
Gladstone Mayor Matt Burnett said the delivery of a surplus budget this year was particularly important as the nation’s economic future appears increasingly uncertain amid rising inflation and related pressures.
“A surplus budget is an indication that council is able to cover its operational costs, as well as having revenues available for capital funding and debt repayment,” Cr Burnett said.
“However, the challenges presented to our region, and indeed the country, have made this year’s budget one of the most challenging to deliver.
“This (increase) is well below the current rate of CPI for Brisbane, which is currently sitting at six per cent over the past year.
“We, as a council, always have the community at the front of mind, and it was because of this amid the global uncertainty caused by COVID-19 that we made the strong decision to freeze rates for the 2020/21 financial year.”
Mr Burnett guaranteed that the maximum increase any ratepayer would pay compared to last year would be 10 per cent.
Budget papers also reveal the Gladstone Regional Council’s total assets are valued at more than $2.5b, up from $2.2b in 2020-21.
The council will now separate its residential rating categories into Principal Place of Residence (PPR) and Non-Principal Place of Residence (NPPR), aligning with other large councils.
CAPITAL WORKS PROJECTS:
$11.9m – water and sewerage infrastructure
$11m – capital roads projects
$8.6m – bridge upgrades, renewals and replacements
$4.9m – sport, recreation, and community wellbeing
$1.8m – footpaths
$1.8m – parks and environment.
RATES CHANGE YEAR-ON-YEAR
22-23: +4.5%
21-22: +1.7%
20-21 -1%
19-20: +2.39%
BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS (by region a-z)
AGNES WATER
$50,000 – Sewer Main Renewals
$805,998 – Murphy Road, Captain Creek (stabilise pavement and seal)
AMBROSE
$94,000 – Gentle Annie Road, Ambrose (bridge renewal)
BAFFLE CREEK
$429,998 Flat Rock Picnic Grounds
BENARABY
$2,086,500 Benaraby Landfill (capping of Cell 2)
BOYNE / TANNUM
$1,020,374 – Turtleway Works
$864,000 – Boyne Tannum Memorial Parklands (Stage 2)
$731,962 – Boyne Tannum Pool
$2,955,000 – BITS Irrigation Replacement
BOYNE VALLEY
$361,500 – Norton and Dawes Streets, Nagoorin (bitumen seal)
CALLIOPE
$300,000 – Calliope River Rest Area (upgrade of toilet block)
$725,441 – Silverdale Reservoir renewal
CURTIS ISLAND
$2,250,000 – Curtis Island (power replacement)
GLADSTONE
$996,548 – Gladstone Aquatic Centre Upgrade (Stage 3)
$150,000 – Tondoon Botanic Gardens (Bonsai House utility services)
$1,236,013 – Toolooa Street, Gladstone (pavement renewal, Derby – Agnes)
$2,667,225 – A05 Rising Main (replace/reline)
$2,300,000 – Gladstone WWTP Distribution (tower & process water reservoir)
LOWMEAD
$1,495,000 – various bridge replacements
$4,855,000 – various bridge renewals
MIRIAM VALE
$2,115,000 – Bindaree Road, Miriam Vale (bridge upgrade)
$50,000 – Miriam Vale Community Centre upgrade
MOUNT LARCOM
$85,000 – Mount Larcom Cemetery (new lawn beams)
ROSEDALE
$240,000 – Ferry Road, Rosedale (renew culvert structure (Ch 540)
WHOLE LGA
$2.79m – Asphalt overlays and bitumen seals
$4.91m – Gravel re-sheeting
LIST: QUEENSLAND LGA NET RATES RANKINGS
Each year a report is compiled comparing rates charges by suburb from councils across Queensland.
The latest report was completed in November 2021 and used rates and charges from the 2021/2022 year.
Airlie Beach was at the top of the list for the state, from the Whitsunday Regional Council, with a net average rates and charges per annum of $5029.
Yeppoon came in fourth with $4366 rates per annum and Emerald came in fifth with $4243.
Bargara (Bundaberg) was 11th with $4104 while Agnes Water and Tannum Sands from the Gladstone Regional Council immediately followed with $4107 and $3990 respectively.
Boyne Island was 26th ($3693), Bundaberg 36th ($3520), Rockhampton 61st ($3283), Gladstone 73rd ($3225).
Brisbane ranked 180th out of a total 244 local areas, with an average rates bill for residents of $1730.
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