Redland City Council has boosted its commitment to conservation in its 2019-20 budget adopted today.

Redland City Mayor Karen Williams said this year’s Budget would invest $8.7 million into protecting and expanding the almost 9800 hectares of conservation land in community ownership.

“Redland City Council owns and manages more land on the community’s behalf than many of our neighbouring councils and this year’s Budget will see us continue to invest in growing and maintaining this vital asset,” Cr Williams said.

“This year our stocks of community–owned land were significantly boosted after we were able to finally secure the strategically important 61 hectares of Commonwealth-owned land at Birkdale.

“To be able to bring this land into Council-ownership after fighting to save it from housing for five years is a win for the community.”

Cr Williams said the stocks of local conservation land of environmental and ecological value had grown by 210ha since 2012.

“With the areas secured by Council in recent years, we now have almost 9800ha of conservation land, or about 18 percent of the Redlands Coast, owned by the community,” Cr Williams said.

“When you take in other green space managed by Council, the area grows to more than 10,340ha or just over 19 percent of our total land area. And that’s not including state-managed national parks and privately owned bushland.”

Cr Williams said this year’s Budget included a commitment to maintaining this land and managing the fire risks associated with owning this much land.

“Maintaining land on behalf of the community brings with it significant responsibility and it is one Council takes very seriously,” Cr Williams said.

“This responsibility has seen Council redirect funding from our landfill remediation separate charge to the environmental separate charge, helping to protect both our conservation land and our residents through fire mitigation.”

Cr Williams said the Budget would also continue to invest in Council’s 1 million plants initiative, which had so far seen 250,000 plants put in the ground by Council and local volunteers since 2016.

“Redlands Coast is blessed with an abundance of natural habitat and open space where people can connect with nature and enjoy an active and healthy Redlands Coast lifestyle,” she said.

“This budget invests in keeping this land in public ownership and maintaining it for future generations of Redlanders to enjoy.”

Go to redland.qld.gov.au/budget for full Budget information

Redland City Council will use its strong balance sheet and borrowing power to invest in the future of the Redlands Coast under the 2019-20 Budget adopted today.

Redland City Mayor Karen Williams said Council’s budget included a small operating surplus and a $58.4 million capital works program targeted at growing and sustaining community infrastructure vital to the Redlands Coast’s future, especially roads and parks.

“By balancing our budget and maintaining a healthy bank balance, we are able to fund vital big-ticket intergenerational projects, such as the Weinam Creek transport hub and IndigiScapes Environmental Centre upgrades,” Cr Williams said.

Cr Williams said Council’s prudent economic management allowed it to move quickly to secure community assets, including strategic land at Birkdale and Cleveland Point.

“Financial sustainability has been a driving factor of budgets during this council term, allowing us to secure the 61ha Birkdale Commonwealth land and the site adjacent the council reserve at Cleveland Point for the community,” Cr Williams said.

“This was something we could only do that because our debt was low and we had money in the bank.”

Cr Williams said the 2019-20 Budget included modest borrowings for key intergenerational projects, helping deliver the important projects that will be enjoyed by generations of Redlanders.

“At the end of the day, responsible financial management has allowed us to borrow sensibly and sustainably to fund long-life projects – the non-negotiable intergenerational assets needed now to service this city into the future,” Cr Williams said.

“The fact that we can do this and still record no net debt shows the sound financial position the city is in and the benefit of continuing to find efficiencies and look for initiatives to insulate our community against external cost pressures.”

Cr Williams said Council had monitored interest rates and was proposing to borrow now while the cost of borrowing was at record low levels.

“Council is mindful of finding the balance between holding cash in the bank when interest rates are low and borrowing when it is the right time so we can deliver the capital projects our community needs,” she said.

Cr Williams said Councillors had worked together to ensure the capital works program was focused, achievable and delivered residents the best value for money.

“Our priority has been squarely with essentials and long-life, intergenerational assets,” Cr Williams said.

“The works program includes more than $21 million for roads projects, including $11 million for our road resurfacing program, helping residents get around the city safer and faster.

“Almost $9.5 million will go towards the naturally wonderful playgrounds, parks and sports fields, our community loves, including $2 million for Stage 2A of Thornlands Community Park.

“Our environmental education centre at IndigiScapes will also receive a boost through a $2.2 million upgrade, adding to its reputation as a regionally significant environmental education centre.

“With more coastline than both the Gold and Sunshine Coasts and six beautiful island communities, the cost of being a coastal city is not insignificant and this year we will invest $6.4 million into maintaining marine assets, including canal and breakwater works.”

Major individual projects for 2019-20 include:

• Collins Street and School of Arts Road upgrade, Redland Bay, $4.5 million.
• Aquatic Paradise canal trench blocks, Birkdale $2.5 million.
• Weinam Creek parking and development project, Redland Bay $2.3 million.
• Stage 2A of Thornlands Community Park, Thornlands $2 million.
• William Street breakwater, Cleveland $1.9 million.
• Redlands IndigiScapes Centre visitor centre upgrade, Capalaba $2.2 million.

Go to our website at redland.qld.gov.au/budget for full budget information.

“Affordability” is the focus of Redland City Council’s balanced budget for 2019-20 which was adopted today.

The budget delivers a small projected operational surplus while keeping the average rates and charges increase to 2.66 percent – or about 62 cents a week – for a typical category 1a, owner-occupied household, excluding utilities and State Government charges.

It also delivers a $58.4 million capital works program targeted at growing and sustaining community infrastructure vital to the Redlands Coast’s future, especially roads and parks.

Mayor Karen Williams said the preservation of the Redlands Coast’s lifestyle and need to offset external cost pressures and the effects of a State Government land revaluation had been at the heart of budget considerations.

“The result is a balanced and affordable budget that supports the lifestyle that we love here,” Cr Williams said.

“Residents tell us they do not want the livability of Redlands Coast compromised, and we can only achieve that if we manage our finances responsibly.

“This reflects the need to continue to invest in the infrastructure that the community tells us that it wants prioritized, while also working hard to bring the budget back into surplus by tightening our organisational belts and finding savings.

“We have been able to achieve this despite a State land revaluation pushing up the values on which rates are based by more than 10 percent on average.”

Cr Williams said Council was investing significantly in the city’s intergenerational assets such as road, sewerage, canal and community projects while maintaining its no net debt position.

“By balancing the budget and ensuring there is no net debt through borrowing only for vital intergenerational assets we have guaranteed this city’s good financial health,” she said.

“Our strong financial stewardship means we can secure the 61 hectares of Birkdale Commonwealth land and the site adjacent the council reserve at Cleveland Point for the community.

“These areas will add significantly to our community estate, which now boasts almost 9,800 hectares of community-owned land. Under this Budget a further $8.7 million will be invested in protecting this land and potentially buying other strategic land that benefits the community and local environment.”

Cr Williams said that while Council had kept its water-associated increases to less than 2 percent, the first increase since the 2015-16 budget, the State had raised its bulk water charges by
6.8 percent, which added $37.40 to ratepayers’ average annual bills.

“To put it into perspective, this year’s State rise will take this city’s total bulk water bill to almost
$40 million and nearly $172 million over five years,” Cr Williams said.

“We are also affected by the State Government’s new levy on all waste sent to landfill, including waste generated from households, businesses and the construction industry.

“While the State has provided a payment to partially cover the cost of its new waste levy, our real-world budgeting shows there will be a shortfall.”

Cr Williams said Council remained unwavering in its commitment to offset cost increases by becoming smarter and more efficient and was continuing to seek greater support through funding from the State and Federal governments.

“Just under 5.7 per cent of this budget is expected to come from State and Federal Government grants, so it is our residents who are doing the heavy lifting,” she said.

“We will continue to advocate for more State and Federal funding for our community, as we did recently when we joined councils across the nation to lobby for an increase in the Federal Assistance Grants.

“We are also investigating a series of innovative solutions aimed at finding savings for our residents. Everything from alternative power options, innovative transport solutions and a collaborative regional approach to reducing waste costs, show our commitment to continuous improvement and insulating our community against these rising costs.”

The 2019-20 budget at a glance:

• A typical Redlands resident owner-occupied household (category 1a with a property value of about $266,122) will see a 2.66 percent increase on Council rates and charges, excluding utilities and the State Government bulk water charge.
• A small projected operating surplus, effectively a “balanced budget’’.
• Capital expenditure of $58.4 million.
• The State Government’s bulk water charge, over which Council has no control, increases another 6.8 percent this year to almost $40 million.
• Council’s retail water costs up by about 2 percent, the first increase since 2015.
• Commercial rate increase for the main category covering small business limited to
  6 percent (excluding separate charges, utility charges and State Government charges).
• New borrowings for intergenerational capital works of $9.8 million – maintaining Council’s no net debt position.
• Total pensioner rebates rises to more than $3 million, with $335 a year for a full pensioner or $167.50 for a part-pensioner.
• $8.7 million will be invested in protecting community-owned land and potentially buying other strategic land that benefits the community and local environment.

Capital expenditure program at a glance:

• $21 million for roads projects.
• $6.8 million for infrastructure projects, including footpaths, cycle paths, continued expansion of the Redlands IndigiScapes Centre and bus shelter and seat renewals.
• $6.4 million for marine and foreshore projects, including canal and breakwater works.
• $4.8 million for water, waste and wastewater projects.
• Almost $9.5 million to go towards renewing playgrounds, parks and sports fields.
• $1.5 million for community and cultural development.

Go to our website at redland.qld.gov.au/budget for full budget information.