Budget: Newcastle City Council adopts 2040 plan with more than $40m in projects
Newcastle is set to see a multimillion-dollar cash-splash on major ‘city-shaping projects’ - with a record budget plan approved. See the plans here.
Newcastle
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Newcastle City Council has adopted an ambitious budget plan which has highlighted a $40m investment in “city-shaping” projects, with financial forecasts looking to trump that of neighbouring councils.
Delivering Newcastle 2040 will help to deliver the council’s vision of a “liveable, sustainable and inclusive global city” with a long list of projects on the cards for the 2023/2024 financial year.
“This is a record budget - 270 projects across the city over the next year,” Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said during Tuesday’s council meeting.
“I think this will meet the expectations of our community this year.”
A whopping works program worth $137m will include $41.2m for four major projects including expansion of the Newcastle Art Gallery, remediation of the former landfill at Sandgate and construction of waste diversion facilities at Summerhill Waste Management Centre.
Some of the other highlights also include $6.9m for urban and city centre revitalisation including at Hunter Street Mall and New Lambton’s local centre, a $5m allocation for the Foreshore Park and Gregson Park in Hamilton playgrounds and $7.5m for citywide road resurfacing.
The plan has also looked to smash the operating surplus for the current financial year of $1.3m, to $6.9m in 2023-2024, providing “financial stability for services and community commitments”, with a small buffer in case of unexpected circumstances, such as natural disasters.
And not to be outdone by surrounding councils, Delivering Newcastle 2040’s financial performance is looking to exceed its neighbours, while its domestic waste management service charge remains the lowest.
“It is a very responsible budget,” Deputy Lord Mayor Declan Clausen said.
“I don’t think there is any suburb that misses out in this budget.”
Cr Peta Winney Baartz added, “Infrastructure does have a strong aspect.”
The plan is also expected to see increased capabilities for recycling and reuse of waste products. The council plans to continue to deliver initiatives from the cycling and parking plans, as well as a climate action plan.
It has budgeted to receive $38.6m in grants and contributions for capital purposes during the financial year, up almost $5m from the previous year, with a forecasted $102m generated from the council’s operations.
“We continue to follow the road map provided in our Community Strategic Plan by delivering on initiatives and actions set out in existing strategies and plans,” CEO Jeremy Bath said.
“We are also developing new strategies that will help us deliver on the priorities most important to our community, including the social infrastructure strategy, Newcastle environment strategy and social strategy.”
2023/24 works program: $137.2m
$41.2m - Newcastle Art Gallery, remediation of the former landfill at Sandgate, construction of waste diversion facilities at Summerhill Waste Management Centre.
$22.3m - Libraries, parks, aquatic centres, civic sites
$9.2m - Revitalisation of coast, city and urban centres
$13.5m - 64 environment sustainability projects: Blackbutt Reserve ($1.05m), bushland and watercourses ($1.81m), coast estuary and wetlands ($8m), flood planning ($0.3m), street and park trees ($1.66m), sustainability and climate ($0.67m)
$6.4m - Improvement information technology and systems
$26.5m - Roads, bridges, footpaths, community buildings
$4.4m - Waste management
$3.8m - Renew ageing fleet items
$5m - Cycleways and transport options
$5m - Improve stormwater network
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