Lobby group wants Mornington Peninsula Council to redo its budget with a focus on construction- led recovery
A powerful lobby group is urging the Mornington shire to splash out on building projects in a bid to help the region recover after COVID-19. The business group says boosting local trades should be a council priority.
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Business leaders are calling for construction to be ramped up on the Mornington Peninsula to boost the region’s recovery from the coronavirus crisis.
The Committee for Mornington Peninsula wants the council to consider increasing funding for capital works in 2020/2021 and encourage the use of local construction firms and contractors for all projects.
The suggestion was included in the lobby group’s submission to the council on its proposed 2020/21 Budget.
The draft budget includes a 2 per cent rate hike, in line with the State Government’s rate cap, and a $42 increase in the waste services charge.
Committee president Bruce Billson said investment in major projects at Somerville and Rosebud had reduced the amount being spent on new construction, maintenance and improvement works at other leisure and recreation centres.
“The local construction industry, one of the largest industries on the Mornington Peninsula, could benefit significantly from continued expenditure on local capital works during the recovery phase of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Mr Billson said.
The 2020/21 draft budget proposed spending $52.5 million or 17 per cent of total revenue on capital works.
Some big-ticket items included the aquatic centre ($11.2m), Tyabb Primary upgrade ($1.5m) Somerville Active Recreation Hub ($1.5m).
In 2019/20 the council spent 23.5 per cent of total revenue, or $70.4 million on capital works.
In its budget submission the lobby group urged the council to “reshape” its proposed budget to include measures for responding to the coronavirus pandemic and greater support for the local economy.
Mornington Peninsula Shire corporate services director Mark Brady said it was not appropriate for the council to comment directly on budget matters while consultation was ongoing.
He said community feedback, comments and ideas were “most welcome”.
Local Government Minister Adem Somyurek recently granted Victorian councils an extension to August 31 month to adopt the 2020/21 budget.
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In other years the document had to be finalised by June 30.
At a meeting on April 21 the council voted to extend the public exhibition period for the 2020/21 proposed budget to Thursday, May 21.
Mayor Sam Hearn said the decision was made to “allow the community more time to review and provide comment, and to give council officers more time to assess the economic impacts we are seeing from COVID-19”.
The final Budget will then be presented to Council for adoption on July 14 – six weeks before required under the new deadline set by Mr Somyurek.