Each year all Councils are required to prepare an “Integrated Strategic Plan” which sets out the Council’s broad objectives, its works programme into the future, an Asset Management Plan and a Forward Financial Plan.

TRRA studied the 300 plus page draft document which was recommended for Council adoption and made a submission challenging significant aspects, including the validity of the statistics presented and the content of its future strategies.

The documents are available on the Councils Website: HERE.

TRRA’s submission to Council may be read by clicking: HERE.

Queries were raised in relation to the forward Asset Management Plan which recommended continuing expenditure of millions of dollars on the failed Samurai Resort  and on luxury cabins in Council’s  Holiday Parks without any published business plans. (Subsequently the proposed expenditures at Samurai were withdrawn).

Following TRRA’s successful campaign last year to block Council’s proposed increase in rates by 8.6%, plus the NSW rate pegging (around 2.6 %), the latest Integrated  Plans rightly proposed that the rate increase for 2011/2012 be limited to the State pegged level which is based on an index of costs for local governments.

However, after an admission of an ongoing annual deficit of around $5 million  and a huge backlog in asset maintenance  and renewal liabilities in excess of $20 million,  the Integrated Plan concluded that the only solution would be to adopt a permanent increase in rates of 12 %, plus the rate pegging increase to 2021. TRRA objected strongly to this proposition arguing that other options including efficiency reviews and improved financial management should be fully explored ahead of rate increases. Council is now considering a plan to reduce annual head office costs by $750,000.

Our submission on the Integrated Plans was submitted to the Minister for Local Government with a request that it be taken into account in the current review of the administration of PSC.