Council rates up 5%

THE Derwent Valley Council approved 5% rate increase at its monthly meeting last Thursday night, Mayor Martyn Evans said this would mean an increase of around $55 per property in the municipality. “Council has worked hard to keep rate increases low again this year, and has looked at all possible ways to keep increases to a minimum," Councillor Evans said. “Like families and households across the state, council also has increased operating costs in terms of power and water charges and for the first time has to take into account the possible effects of the carbon tax,” he said.

For the 10th consecutive year, Derwent Valley Council has called for public submissions to the budgetary process. This gives residents of the area a chance to put forward projects for funding that may be overlooked otherwise. “This year we received 28 submissions from the public, with a number of those being included fully in the budget. Some that were not funded this year have been set down for investigation in future years. Community members who put forward submissions will receive formal notification of the status of their submission in the next week or two,” Cr Evans said.

Some of the successful submissions include:

• Stabilisation and sealing of Glebe Road from Lachlan Road to The Avenue;
• Improvement in the line of sight at Molesworth and Collins Cap Rd junction;
• Installation of a safety barrier at Rowbottoms Rd; and
• New seating at Pioneer Avenue and the Esplanade.

Some of the main items in the capital works budget include:

• Provision of pedestrian refuges and disability cross-overs in Burnett St and Montagu St;
• Continuation of works in Lachlan Rd;
• Stormwater works in Humphrey St;
• Investigation works for sewer and toilet works at Red Hills Cemetery; and
• Tynwald Park improvements.

“There are always competing pressures when setting the budget, with robust debate between councillors around which projects should be funded," Cr Evans said. "At the end of the day the decisions councillors make are made with the best interest of the community at heart. I’d like to thank my fellow councillors for their time and Council staff for their dedication and hard work in preparing the budget,” he said.

Crs Evans, Lathey, Bromfield, Graham, Lester, Nicholson, Shaw and Shoobridge voted in favour of the budget and Cr Bester opposed it.