Infrastructure Delivery Front of Mind as APC Adopts Budget for 2022/2023

Adelaide Plains Council is pleased to announce that, at a Special Meeting held on 11 July 2022, Council Members adopted the 2022/2023 Annual Business Plan (ABP) and Budget.

Adoption of the 2022/2023 ABP and Budget is the culmination of six (6) months’ work with significant input from both Council’s Audit Committee and Infrastructure and Environment Committee. Importantly, Council’s program for 2022/2023 heavily aligns with our Long Term Financial Plan and Infrastructure and Assessment Management Plan.

As the second fastest growing council in South Australia, Council must be cognisant of growth, including recent CPI increases, as it relates to the setting of its rates, and, to that end, we believe the rate increases adopted are sensible. Put simply, development growth has amounted to 4.73% across the district and while the average rate increase of 6.22% may appear significant, much of this percentage is attributed to growth. Importantly, approximately one-third of all properties will see a rate increase of 3.25% or less this financial year.

We encourage our community to take the time to read the various documents to understand that the 6.22% rate increase is just that – an average across all rateable properties.

Key elements of the 2022/2023 ABP and Budget include:

• Investment in public infrastructure of $8.069m, with $4.593m to be spent on asset renewals, including:
  • 33km of road re-sheeting.
  • 15.1km of road resealing.
  • 8.9 km of sealing Middle Beach Road.
  • 1km of new footpath, kerbing and street trees.
• The remaining $3.476m will be spent on new assets, while $1.195m shall be funded utilising government grants.
• Kerbside waste collection services to continue with a moderate increase of just 2.99%, which is still less than what it was prior to Council outsourcing this service in 2018.
• Operating deficit of $1.029m of which $0.934m is attributed to growth-related programs and projects.

The most recent valuation data from the Valuer-General, and the more than anticipated increases to CPI, provided Council with a clear vision of the importance of decisions to be made in relation to the 2022/2023 ABP and Budget. Elected Members participated in several workshops and information sessions led ably by Council staff, which enabled thorough consideration of all relevant issues and impacts before arriving at the final decisions made at Monday night’s Special Meeting.

“Pleasingly, Council has adopted its budget just over one week into the financial year, which now enables work to commence on the various projects, programs and initiatives included in the adopted ABP and Budget”, said Council’s Chief Executive Officer, James Miller.

Elected Members and staff alike look forward to another jam-packed year delivering outcomes for the APC community.

Mark Wasley
Mayor

14 July 2022