Ratepayers will contribute about $6.4 million more than they did this year to Wollongong council in 2017/18, boosting the city’s total yearly budget by just over $190 million.
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According to the council’s draft annual plan, which will be debated next Monday and placed on public exhibition early next month, rates make up 61 per cent of the city’s annual income.
Fees, charges and other revenue make up the next largest slice of the pie, at $45.3 million, followed closely by money from capital grants and contributions ($44.7 million).
As for expenses, council employees will take out the largest share – costing the city just under $110 million, or 41 per cent of its budget.
Employee costs will go up by about $3.2 million compared with this financial year.
The other major expense category, according to the council, is materials, contracts and related expenses, at $91.9 million
Asset depreciation will also eat up a large chunk of money, costing the council $65.7 million.
Released on Monday, the council’s plan for next year includes a capital works budget of $95.5 million, up from the $88.4 million to be spent this financial year.
The largest proportion of next year’s cash will be spent on pathways ($18m), roads ($13.8m), buildings ($13.2m), West Dapto infrastructure ($11m) and stormwater and floodplain management ($6.5m).
Longer term spending plans included in the budget show the council will continue to bump up spending until 2021, when it plans to splash out $119 million on capital works.
Most of this increase will be spent on West Dapto’s $94 million Fowlers Road bridge project and other major transport infrastructure, the council said in the plan.
RATE RISE TO VARY
- After three years of higher than usual rate hikes (of 6.68 per cent), average Wollongong rates will rise by the statewide rate peg of 1.5 per cent in 2017/18
- However, rate rises will vary at properties across the city depending on changes in land value, which was assessed by the NSW Valuer General last year.
- The state pricing regulator last year said Wollongong’s average rates for 2017/18 would be $1444
- This figure does not include waste charges, which will also rise by 1.5 per cent (below)
- It also doesn’t include the NSW Government’s changes to the Fire and Emergency Services Levy, which is expected to add about $185 to rate bills.
Household waste charges
- 80 litre bin – $308
- 120 litre bin – $405
- 240 litre bin – $667
Kate McIlwain
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
