I hope that you all had a pleasant Easter break, and to those with children, I now wish you all of the best with school holidays.
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To help parents and carers keep children occupied, Council has valuable information on our website under “Hot Topics”, where the heading, “What's on in the School Holidays”, will enable access to SOOSH and "What's On" - Vacation Activities, Library Activities and Youth Centres & Youth Excursions.
While you are all enjoying the holidays, Councillors will be discussing the content of the Shire’s draft Delivery Program 2017/2018-2020/2021 and Operational Plan 2018/2019 (DPOP).
We will once again be budgeting for a very ambitious program of works, with the hope and dare I say, the expectation, of pre-election campaign funding from both the State and Federal governments.
We have already benefited from grants that are helping to fund our Saleyards, Middlebrook Bridge, White Park, Water Pipelines and the Airport to name a few projects but knowing that elections were on the horizon, Council prepared many other project concepts in readiness for grants should they become available.
We are now waiting to see which ones will receive contributions. Along with these plans we must also have budgets that support the developments, and hence our deliberation over the contents of the DPOP which is, in essence, a set budget for next financial year and a proposed budget for the following three years.
There has been discussion on social media of late about Council’s expenditure or lack thereof, on certain asset renewals and maintenance, as well as fees and charges. Commentary several years after budgets have been set are acknowledged but if you really wish to have input, then please join Council in one of the many DPOP meetings we will have around the Shire or by making a submission to the draft during the consultation period. The community meetings will be held at 6pm as follows:
Scone - Monday, 7 May 2018 - Council Chambers.
Murrurundi – Wednesday, 9 May 2018 - CWA Rooms.
Aberdeen – Monday, 14 May 2018 - Community Hall.
Merriwa – Tuesday, 15 May 2018 - School of Arts
Part of the considerations made will include a budget containing a program of works should our Special Rate Variation be approved, and alternatively, a budget that contains a reduced program should the SRV not be approved.
Council will be resolving to display the draft DPOP for consultation at our April meeting and there will be 28 days within which we ask that you read as much as you can of the document or at the least, the parts that pertain to you so that you can make an informed submission to the document if you feel something needs amendment.