Many candidates in an election will speak about reducing rates or ‘slashing costs’ for ratepayers so more can be done in a certain area, such as roads – all this while promising new things.
But where will the money come from?
The majority of income from the Macedon Ranges Shire is from rates which are supplemented with State and Federal grants, bank loans and developer contributions.
This income is balanced to deliver more than just roads and rubbish which is something often misunderstood by candidates and residents, and can be difficult to juggle with competing priorities and expectations across nine major towns and even more hamlets spread across 1,750 square kilometres of semi rural countryside.
Operating expenses include key service areas which are budgeted (2024/25 Budget) towards:
- Maintenance of roads, drains, buildings and paths
- Garbage, recycling and garden waste collection
- Community services
- Maintenance of parks, environment and open space
- Maintenance of recreation and sports facilities
- Emergencies,local laws and public health
- Planning and building services
- Economic development, tourism, arts, culture and libraries
Prioritising Services
Services are largely prioritised based on factors such as:
- Community Consultation
- Legislative requirements
- Council owned infrastructure and assets
- Grant funding that becomes available
- Service gaps in the community
Cost Shifting
Over the time I have been involved in Council, less and less grant funding has been made available from State and Federal Government yet there has been a growth/demand for services to fill gaps in the community. This is known as cost shifting and has made the budget process and prioritisation of services even more difficult as Councillor’s aim to meet the needs of their community.
As a GP I like to use the example of the Maternal and Child Health Service. This could be outsourced to private providers, but would they know the community and work as well setting up things like new mothers groups compared to Council staff?
Macedon Ranges also offers services beyond key funded areas for those who need extra support, including a lactation support service. If Council wanted to save money they could cut this service, but many community members would be left with no service locally which would impact the health and wellbeing of our growing families.
How can I have impact in the Council Budget?
It is worth looking at the Council Budget each year to see what is spent, how much is spent and why to understand the environment and impact across the shire. Other suggestions include:
- Speak to your community to ascertain if there are trends and likeminded needs/wants
- Touch base with your elected Councillor Representative to gain a greater insight into constraints and opportunities
- Provide feedback into the Council Budget Consultation process
- Provide potential solutions to problems you see rather than simply stating you are unhappy with a service or asset
- When corresponding with staff at Council about an issue copy in your three ward councillors so they are aware: they can not necessarily solve the problem but it helps them build up a knowledge bank of what the issues may be and think about what may be needed to provide bigger picture solutions
- Talk to your elected councillors first about their decisions rather than jumping straight to Facebook or a petition. It can sometimes be hard to understand how a particular decision was made. ( This is an area I definitely think Council can improve upon if re-elected I am committed to having simple early explanations of how decisions were reached and what subsequent review processes and community involvement can be)
CR JENNIFER ANDERSON 