Annual Business Plan and Budget 2024/25 endorsed

Background

Our Annual Business Plan sets out programs and services to meet our community's current and future needs, and is guided by:

• Our Community Plan which sets the vision for our community and organisation; and
• Our overall planning framework (Long Term Financial Plan (LTFP)) which sets strategic directions over the medium and long term and converts these into annual actions and outcomes.

Community Consultation

In April each year we invite our residents, ratepayers and businesses to take a look at our Draft Annual Business Plan and provide feedback on the suggested annual actions and outcomes.

Community consultation closed on Friday 3 May 2024. In total there were 110 submissions including 77 submissions received via the Your Say Charles Sturt and 33 written submissions. There were 3 verbal submissions via deputations to the Council meeting on 13 May 2024, and 3 people attended the Community drop-in event on 1 May 2024.

A summary of the consultation process and feedback/comments is detailed in the Corporate Services Committee Agenda held on 3 June 2024, Agenda Item 4.20, Appendix 1 including a summary of the feedback and common themes.

Annual Business Plan and Budget 2024/25 Highlights

Our Annual Business Plan and Budget for 2024/25 was endorsed by Council on Monday 24 June 2024, with an overall rate increase of 6.25% plus new property growth.

This includes a service level increase to fund the tree canopy project to reach 25% by 2040. Our community is relying on action now to respond to the impacts of climate change and urban heat island effects to ensure our City is a cool and comfortable place for generations to come.

The budget also aligns with our commitment to transforming our city in response to evolving needs and challenges. This includes transitioning to a low-carbon future, managing population growth, and preserving our history and heritage.

In delivering the 24/25 Budget, we acknowledged the volatility of the recent economic climate including increases in the cost of delivery of infrastructure and services has had an influence on the rates increases required for the next financial year.

This investment, along with our selected projects, aims to provide valuable assets and services for our community now and in the future.

The rates invested by the community will ensure we can deliver:

• Continued frequent verge cutting at a cost of $2.015m
• $27.175 million towards roads, footpaths, lighting, and stormwater renewal and upgrades
• $16.04 million on sporting clubs, property, and open space projects, including $1.615 million for updates to the Woodville South Sports Club changerooms
• $5.228 million in 2024/25 for the Ngutungka Henley (Henley Library and Community Centre) project, totalling $11.219 million
• $1.548 million in additional greening and climate initiatives, of which $1.214 million is allocated for tree canopy
• $2.5 million to supply and install solar panels, batteries and associated energy management equipment on Council buildings to maximise the benefit from a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).
• $631k in grant funding to support community and business initiatives

Read a summary of the Annual Business Plan and Budget 2024/25.

Follow the links below to read more and lodge your online submission.

• View the Draft Annual Business Plan 2024/25.
• View the Summary of Budget Bids (Note: Projects shaded green are associated with our Tree Canopy Improvement Strategy).
• Lodge your online submission (Note - there is a facility for you to attach supporting documents at the end of your online submission).

What will happen to my comments?

Community comments on the Draft Annual Business Plan will be considered during May/June 2024 as we refine the Plan. Following consideration of your feedback by the Corporate Services Committee, a report will be presented to Council for final adoption of Council's Annual Business Plan and Budget 2024/25.

Following adoption, a summary of the Plan will accompany the first rates notice for the financial year and the Annual Business Plan and Budget 2024/25 will be available on our City of Charles Sturt website and at the Council Offices for your information.