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City of Fremantle budget adopted

RESPONSIBLE financial management has seen the City of Fremantle adopt its 2007-08 budget with a modest surplus of $150,000, following Wednesday night's special council meeting.

City of Fremantle Chief Executive Officer Graeme Mackenzie said the City’s financial position was strong and the $58.26 million cash total budget (including both recurrent and non-current costs) was an investment in the future of Fremantle.

“Our budget is very much about securing a strong financial future for the City while ensuring residents continue to enjoy quality services and facilities,” he said.

“It demonstrates the allocation of limited resources in an efficient and effective manner to provide outcomes expected by the community – like any council, we have challenges to meet in the future but are well-placed to meet them.

“The City of Fremantle has reached financial stability through careful management and capitalising on opportunities and we need to maintain this position through strong discipline and continued planning for the future.”

Mr Mackenzie said the general rate increase of 5.0 per cent and minimum rate increase to $730 helped to cover the anticipated annual Consumer Price Index of 4.0 per cent, matched with an additional 1.0 per cent accounting for:
- An above CPI increase for waste management, due to increasing landfill costs and tonnages being processed.
- Provision of a new sustainability officer.
- An allocation for various projects for the sustainability officer. 

“The rate increase is moderate compared to other councils while also remembering that local government is being asked to deliver more and more as a result of cost-shifting from other levels of government,” Mr Mackenzie said.

“It’s important to remember the CPI is a measure of increases in the price of goods consumed by an average household – local governments have very different consumption patterns, so comparisons to the CPI are not always appropriate.”

Some key projects given a budget allocation for 2007-08 include:
• Heritage works worth $735,000, including the final stage conservation works of Victoria Hall ($595,000) and Arthur Head Old Port works ($140,000).
• $320,000 to replace the Queensgate Car Park lifts and $350,000 to replace Queensgate’s ticket machines.
• As part of the City’s commitment to the Kyoto protocols, $100,000 has been allocated for carbon neutral and carbon-friendly initiatives,
• $352,000 for CCTV cameras to help the City’s ongoing security and safety strategies.
• $219,000 has been included to steam-clean inner CBD footpaths every two months and an additional $25,000 for graffiti removal to improve the look and cleanliness of Fremantle.
• Stage four improvements to Booyeembara Park, worth $84,720.
• Planning initiatives include $25,000 for the South Beach Masterplan, East End planning and visioning ($60,000), South Fremantle Landfill Site planning ($120,000), Lefroy Road Landfill Site planning (145,000), City property projects ($100,000) and a planning policies review ($40,000).
• Other initiatives include $50,000 for Wiluna/Samson Streets design, $50,000 for Christmas decorations and lighting and $20,000 for a sustainable home project in Hilton.

“This budget is the continuation of council’s good track record over many years, thanks to effective ongoing financial management,” Mr Mackenzie said.

“Council is not in the business of maximising profits but maximising the services it provides – and this needs to be done prudently and within budget to be sustainable for current and future needs.

“This budget provides the minimum requirement from the community to fund all of the projects and services provided in the budget to ensure a good quality of life for our residents and ratepayers.”