Orange City Council has adopted its budget for the coming financial year which aims to deliver the infrastructure needed to meet the demands of a growing regional city, while demonstrating evidence of the Council’s sound fiscal management.
The Council’s sound fiscal management can be seen in:
- a reduction of the operating deficit from $2.4 million last year to $500K this year, a move towards balanced budgets in the years ahead
- interest income growing from $2 million last year to $8.9 million this year through agile negotiation.
Last night’s Council meeting considered community feedback after the draft 2023/24 spending and income plans were placed on exhibition for community comment for 28 days.
A report to the meeting showed the budget was promoted through traditional media and through Council’s own social channels. During the 28-day period, 190 people visited the YourSay Orange site to learn about the budget and complete an online survey.
The report indicated strong community support for the proposal to increase spending on footpaths, while there was a mixed response to increase rates by 3.7%.
The proposal to increase fees & charges by 5% against an inflation backdrop of 7% prompted a more balanced response:
- 42% said the rise was ‘About right’.
- 25% said it was not enough.
- 33% said it was ‘Too much’.
As well as online responses, there were 22 written submissions to the draft budget. 16 of the responses asked for increased spending on the paths of Elephant Park. A number of responders said they were members of the Orange Runners Club. Others mentioned the Cycling Without Age organisation which aims to provide cycle riding events for elderly people in Elephant Park.
The Council meeting approved plans to allocate an extra $300K towards new footpaths, up from $408K to $708K. The meeting heard that staff will investigate the cost of improvements to Elephant Park and bring details to a future meeting.
The budget meeting also set the allowance paid to Councillors in the coming financial year. The meeting decided to set the Councillor allowance at $26,070 and the Mayoral Allowance be set at $64,390.8
Council asks for lower speed limit for Lucknow
Council voted to review the speed limit through Lucknow at last night’s meeting.
Last night’s meeting decided that Council write to Transport for New South Wales requesting a review of the Lucknow speed limit and consider a reduction to 50km/h through the village.
According to a report to the meeting the request has come from the local Lucknow community Committee. It was aimed at improving safety, improving the village as a visitor destination and would work with plans outlined in a 2015 study for more tree plantings, pedestrian crossings and features designed to let people move around the village more easily on foot.
Council backs plans for extra lighting in Wirrabarra Walk
Last night’s meeting has backed a proposal to install solar-powered lights along Wiirrabarra Walk.
A report to last night’s meeting heard the proposal is to install one-metre-high bollard-style solar lights would be installed and would be in operation approximately 30 minutes before sunset and would turn off at 9pm each night.
The proposal follows other lighting projects undertaken to improve safety and usability in Elephant Park, Moulder Park, Glenroi Oval, Margaret Stevenson Park and Matthews Park.
Council sought feedback from the broader community through Council’s YourSay platform for 6 weeks concluding on April 19. There were 676 visits to the YourSay Orange site and 198 people completed the survey which showed:
- 62.8% Support
- 33.2% Against and
- 4.0% undecided
The survey showed that 82% of residents who lived alongside Wirrabarra Walk opposed the project, and were concerned the lighting would:
- increase crime and provide a false sense of security
- be a magnet for anti-social behaviours
A report from the Central West Police District found the lighting upgrade will go a long way to making the route more attractive to the community, and thereby increasing the surveillance opportunities, and less attractive to would-be offenders.
Part of Scout Camp to be leased
Last night’s meeting gave its support to a proposal to lease part of the Canobolas Scout camp near Lake Canobolas to the Orange Local Aboriginal Lands Council.
The lease would assist the Ngurang-gu Yalbilinya (Place of Learning) Program, an initiative specifically designed to target young Aboriginal males aged 12 to 16 years who have become disengaged from education for varying reasons.
The proposal is to lease a classroom building and open spaces areas. It’s expected the lease would let Scouts continue to access the camp.
In Brief:
Last night’s meeting nominated the Mayor and Cr Greenhalgh to attend the 2023 Water Management Conference in Parkes from 26-28 June 2023.
