IN announcing a 4.09% rates increase in the latest Logan City Council budget, mayor Darren Power said he’d never seen the economy worse.
Cr Power said he’d been an elected representative 26 years, and this budget had been tough, with cost of living pressures “beyond our control”.
The rates increase equates to an average increase of about $120 per year for each household.
Cr Power said the rates increase was much lower than the Brisbane CPI of 7.4%.
In an effort to stretch the budget, council engineers are seeking innovative and cost-effective solutions to make the ratepayer dollar go further.
This includes monitoring and repairing roads with high-tech camera and artificial intelligence-based computer programs.
“This technology is being harnessed to map hundreds of kilometres of the city’s roads so minor repairs can be done before they become major projects,” Cr Power said.
The $1.089 billion budget was handed down yesterday (Monday) and will be the last budget before next year’s council elections.
But according to Cr Power, rising costs are taking their toll, and there’s still a need for cut backs.
High on the list of priorities is finding new and efficient ways to get more bang for buck when it comes to roads delivery.
About $265 million will be spent on roads, drainage and engineering in the coming year, amid soaring prices in bitumen, concrete, steel and other materials.
“The prices of concrete, steel and bitumen have soared up to 30 per cent in the last year and there have also been increases in fuel, skill shortages and supply chain issues,” Cr Power said.
“To address this, we have worked with some of the best and brightest engineers to deliver solutions.”
One of these solutions is the incorporation of what’s called a Jet Patcher – a truck that enables faster, safer and more efficient repairs of potholes.
Anticipating and offsetting rising costs related to roads and drainage projects saw council purchase a years-worth of concrete pipes, recycled crushed concrete and alternative bitumen combinations.
The budget detailed a focus on Logan’s 962 parks, pledging $63 million for their management and maintenance over the next 12 months, including $13.4 million for capital works.
Recovery from last year’s floods continue, with council promising to conduct a “deep clean” of the Logan and Albert Rivers to remove larger items that washed into waterways.
The budget highlighted the expansion and upgrade of the citywide safety camera network, a response crew to target illegal dumping, and increased installation of solar panels on council buildings.
Money will also go towards building a youth centre on Wilbur Street in Logan Central, as well as funding to build on 52 other general community spaces and 17 community centres.
The budget has also revealed the continuation of the mayor’s Local Job and Skills Taskforce, which so far has delivered over 300 local employment opportunities to jobseekers.
Cr Power said decisions made in the current budget would ensure the City of Logan was a leader in economic development by t he time the Olympics arrived in less than 10 years time.
He said council was particularly proud of its new energy and recycling programs – highlighting the biosolids program, and a collaboration with neighbouring councils to build a recycling plant at Browns Plains.
