General News
1 July, 2023
Desperate plea for more road funding
Dissatisfaction with rural roads investment has drawn an impassioned plea for increased spending along the way to Horsham Rural City Council adopting its 2023-24 budget. At council's monthly meeting on Monday, the strongest stance was taken by Cr...
Dissatisfaction with rural roads investment has drawn an impassioned plea for increased spending along the way to Horsham Rural City Council adopting its 2023-24 budget.
At council's monthly meeting on Monday, the strongest stance was taken by Cr Ian Ross, who described the municipality's road network as being “not up to standard”.
Cr Ross said he feared council would end up “with blood on our hands for failing to maintain these minor roads” as not enough dollars were being put into maintaining the network and no key performance indicators had been set.
“I think we're in denial of the condition they're in,” Cr Ross said.
“I am very concerned that there is a risk to this council that we will eventually kill somebody.
“I hope no-one has to die before we come to the realisation that we must put more expenditure into these roads.
“We must have a major review... and this budget does not do this.”
Cr David Bowe gave a more tempered assessment that acknowledged the shortcomings while backing council's approach.
“There is a growing sentiment that progress isn't happening quickly enough, particularly in relation to our roadways,” Cr Bowe said.
“The roads play a critical role in connecting both rural and urban residents, facilitating the movement of goods and services and supporting agricultural activity.
“Currently, several roads are either unrepaired or scheduled for repair.”
However, Cr Bowe added that the community could “rest assured the funds have always been and always will continue to be allocated to maintain and upgrade these roads for safe and efficient travel for all residents and businesses alike”.
“In addition, we are actively seeking additional road funding from both state and federal government to accelerate these crucial infrastructure improvements,” he said.
Cr Claudia Haenel said rural residents incurred ongoing expenses that their town counterparts did not “in maintaining brakes, suspension, tyres and all the things that come with vehicles that are having to run on roads that are not fit-for-purpose in some cases”.
Deputy mayor Cr Penny Flynn, on the other hand, spoke strongly in favour of Horsham Rural City's action on roads.
“We actually have a road management plan and a road network plan that help us objectively look at our roads and what we concentrate on,” Cr Flynn said.
“Under the capital budget there is $6.8 million for roads and 81 per cent - or $5.5 million of that - is for rural roads.
“This also includes $1 million for gravel resheeting.”
Fears for farmers
On the topic of property rates, both Cr Ross and Cr Haenel voiced concern for the agricultural sector.
Cr Ross said one of his objections to the budget's rating plan as presented to councillors for consideration was that “the differential has not flexed for the farming community”.
“Every year it's gone up for quite a few years and I believe in 2019 consultants clearly stated 'If you keep doing this it's unsustainable'.
“However, rural rates keep going up.”
Cr Ross said if a Horsham Rural City farmer were in West Wimmera Shire instead “they would be paying half the amount of rates”.
He said council's decision to apply a 3.5 per cent increase “was made on the basis that farmers have had a good year”.
“To me that was a position of ignorance,” he said.
“North of Horsham they did, but not to the south.”
Cr Ross said crops had been written off due to excessive rain, wool prices had fallen “by about 30 to 40 per cent, prime lambs the same, and cattle have dropped to half”.
Cr Haenel added: “I would like to acknowledge the pain of the farm rate burden, especially the inequity of the fact there was no change in the farm rate differential.”
The wash-up
In the end council voted to adopt the budget as presented by its officers and made available for public inspection during two weeks in late May and early June.
The figures show council expects to raise $32,636,457 in rates and charges in the coming financial year.
Rates will be calculated as $0.004058 in the dollar of residential property values, $0.002029 for farms, $0.003855 for commercial premises, $0.004058 for industrial sites and $0.002029 for cultural and recreational facilities.
This will contribute to total revenue for the 12 months of $62 million (up from $59.6 million in 2022–23).
Expenditure has been set at $56.1 million, creating an anticipated $5.9 million surplus.
This will reduce council's underlying operating deficit to $3.9 million by the end of June next year.