Almost $1 million will be cut from Macedon Ranges council’s administration, consultants and employee costs to reinvest back into the community.
Macedon Ranges council adopted its 2017-18 budget last week – with a reduction of $925,000 of internal costs.
“Savings such as these, while uncomfortable for any executive team … are intended to provide further services for our community,” Cr Andrew Twaits said.
The council had postponed signing off on the budget at a special meeting on June 21, at the request of Cr Twaits to further examine potential savings in consultation and administration costs.
“Consultation fees are self-explanatory in that they are costs incurred when there are skills gaps and outside expertise needed, but it sits $600,000 higher than at the beginning of the last council,” Cr Twaits said at the time.
“Administration costs can be anything from postage, bank fees or uniforms – they are costs outside of staffing or services.”
After investigation, $925,000 worth of suggested cuts were identified and tabled last week, including in the areas of administration ($175,000), consultants ($250,000) and employee-related costs ($500,000).
Cr Twaits moved that the revised budget, including the cuts, be adopted.
Cr Mandy Mees said: “It’s important to test the efficiency gap.”
After receiving 79 budget submissions from the community and advice from the federal and state governments, the council’s adopted budget includes a number of changes from the draft.
The $80 million budget allocates $80,000 to the construction of female changerooms at Gardiner Reserve in Gisborne, $500,000 to incorporate female-friendly facilities at the Pavilion at Kyneton Showgrounds and more than $1 million for the development and upgrade of footpaths across the shire.
