City of Greater Geraldton mayor defends rates and allowance rise, council passes 2021/22 budget

Geraldton’s council has passed its budget for the next financial year, boasting a “low rate rise” of 1.75 per cent, $26 million in renewal programs, $13 million in capital works and nearly $11 million on community sporting facilities.

But not everyone was happy, with two councillors voting against the motion, one saying the council was taking away from rate payers but giving back to itself in the form of increased mayoral and councillor allowances.

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At last night’s ordinary June meeting of the City of Greater Geraldton, 10 councillors voted against Cr Jerry Clune and Cr David Caudwell to pass the City’s 2021/22 budget and long term financial plan to 2030/31, with Cr Sally Elphick not present.

Budget highlights included the resurfacing and re-sheeting of roads, new toilets at select community facilities, extension of the Food and Organic Waste kerbside collection trial, upgrades to the Aquarena 50m swimming pool, foreshore shade sails and Mullewa Airport, as well delivering the Big Sky Readers and Writers Festival and Mid West Art Prize.

The minimum payment of rates for residential, non-residential and unimproved value will increase for the first time since 2019 by $17, where the minimum payment was frozen from the year before but rates increased across all categories by 1.5 per cent.

Moved by deputy mayor Thomas, who said the budget was “vanilla”, which went to the council’s core functions of fundamentals of rubbish, roads, rates and renewal of assets, while delivering of broader objectives to deliver social, economic, environmental and cultural wellbeing within the community.

“Challenges we face as a council this year include a 15 per cent increase in insurance, a three per cent increase in power charges, a four per cent increase in emergency service (levy) and a continued recovery from COVID-19, just to name a few,” she said.

“The City will continue to operate in a deficit position in the short term as it recovers from the impacts of COVID-19.

“However, the operating deficit position has been reduced and the new long term financial plan underpins a return to a surplus in a three-year time frame.”

The motion was seconded by Cr Bob Hall, with Cr Natasha Colliver, Cr Steve Douglas, Cr Pete Fiorenza and Mayor Shane Van Styn also speaking to the motion.

Cr Clune spoke against the motion, saying he couldn’t support a budget that took away from community members and gave back to councillors in the form of increased allowances, and called out the lack of transparency to the public on how the decision was made.

On one hand we’re taking off the community and the other hand we’re giving back to ourselves. You can dress it up however you like, it’s still an increase in allowances.

“On one hand we’re taking off the community and the other hand we’re giving back to ourselves. You can dress it up however you like, it’s still an increase in allowances.”

He said he did not think it was essential the council immediately worked on bringing down it’s $3 million operating deficit.

“The operating budget of the $3 million shortfall, and there’s also other funding that comes in. So at the end of the day, you’re not $3 million less than what you had with these other things coming in along the way,” he said.

“We’re looking at a long term financial plan at 1.75 (per cent), and it looks sustainable at that, but the thing is you have to be adaptable with that and I couldn’t see any reason why we couldn’t run a deficit budget out for a little bit longer, given what inset rates are.

“Our big costs are employment costs...and there’s sort of nothing you can do about that, you just have to wear that and keep an eye on the limit of staff numbers.”

The Mayor’s full annual allowance, including meeting attendance fees and expenses, is $126,500 up from $113,052 in 2020/21, with the deputy mayor’s budgeted at $57,000 up from $53,633 and councillors’ allowances set at $32,600 up from $30,649.

Deputy mayor Thomas did not address Cr Clune’s comments in her final remarks.

But Mayor Van Styn defended the decision, telling the Geraldton Guardian the increase in council pay was low compared the what was being redirected into community group funding.

All sporting funding cuts...was diverted to community grants and is made available to community members on a competitive process.

“Geraldton councillors and myself are the lowest paid elected officials in all of the regional centres in WA, and are indeed the lowest paid anywhere,” he said.

“After four years of non-rises, council elected to increase them to still the lowest paid elected officials in the State and passed on a small pay rise.

“All sporting funding cuts, the two associations that received cuts, all that money was diverted to community grants and is made available to community members on a competitive process.

“Geraldton council this year will spend nearly $11 million on sport on community recreation facilities, far more than any region council in WA.”

For more CGG 2021/22 Budget coverage, pick up Friday’s edition of The Geraldton Guardian.