Agenda of Extraordinary Meeting

ITEM 1 - APPLICATIONS FOR LEAVE OF ABSENCE

REPORT IN BRIEF

Reason For Report	To allow tendering of apologies for Councillors not present.
Policy Implications	Nil
Budget Implications	Nil
IPR Linkage	4.5.1.g - Code of Meeting Practice adopted and implemented.
Annexures	Nil
File Number	\OFFICIAL RECORDS LIBRARY\GOVERNANCE\COUNCIL MEETINGS\COUNCIL - COUNCILLORS LEAVE OF ABSENCE - 543324

Recommendation

THAT any apologies tendered be accepted and the necessary leave of absence be granted.

General Manager's REPORT

A call for apologies is to be made.

ITEM 2 - DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

REPORT IN BRIEF

Reason For Report	To allow an opportunity for Councillors to declare an interest in any items to be determined at this meeting.
Policy Implications	Nil
Budget Implications	Nil
IPR Linkage	4.5.1.g - Code of Meeting Practice adopted and implemented.
Annexures	Nil
File Number	\OFFICIAL RECORDS LIBRARY\GOVERNANCE\COUNCIL MEETINGS\COUNCIL - COUNCILLORS AND STAFF DECLARATION OF INTEREST - 2014 - 543325

Recommendation

THAT the Declarations of Interest be noted.

General Manager's REPORT

A call for Declarations of Interest.

ITEM 3 - DECLARATIONS FOR POLITICAL DONATIONS

REPORT IN BRIEF

Reason For Report	To allow an opportunity for Councillors to declare any Political Donations received.
Policy Implications	Nil
Budget Implications	Nil
IPR Linkage	4.5.1.g - Code of Meeting Practice adopted and implemented.
Annexures	Nil
File Number	\OFFICIAL RECORDS LIBRARY\GOVERNANCE\COUNCIL MEETINGS\COUNCIL - COUNCILLORS DECLARATION OF POLITICAL DONATIONS - 543326

Recommendation

THAT any Political Donations be noted.

General Manager's REPORT

A call for Declarations of any Political Donations.

ITEM 4 - 2014/2015 INTEGRATED PLANNING & REPORTING

REPORT IN BRIEF

Reason For Report	To present the Integrated Planning & Reporting documents, including budget summary, and advise Council of key issues and recommend its consideration and adoption by Council.
Policy Implications	Consistent with Council's policies and directions set during this and previous terms of Council. Note incorporates requirements of State Government's Integrated Planning & Reporting.
Budget Implications	Provides funds for Council projects and authorises work to be carried out. Also allows for long term financial planning.
IPR Linkage	4 - A Council that is effective and efficient.
Annexures	1. Draft Budget 2014-2015 2. Summary of Reserves 2014-2015
File Number	\OFFICIAL RECORDS LIBRARY\CORPORATE MANAGEMENT\PLANNING\INTEGRATED PLANNING AND REPORTING 2014 - 548725

Recommendation

THAT Council:

1. Adopt the Draft Operational Plan 2014 – 2015

· Part 1 – The activities

· Part 2 – The Financials including Fees and Charges

2. Adopt the Draft Resource Plans

· Asset Management Plan

o Transport Asset Management Plan

· Long Term Financial Plan

3. Publicly exhibit the Community Strategic Plan – Cabonne 2025, Delivery Program 2013/14 to 2016/17, Draft Operational Plan 2014/2015 and Draft Resource Plans at each Council office, Branch Libraries and other locations throughout the Shire for a period of 28 days, and that a copy of the Plan be made available on a reduced cost basis of $15.50 per copy, with sections of the plans program being photocopied at a reduced rate of 15 cents per page.

4. Adopt an interest rate of the maximum allowable percentage allowed by the Office of Local Government for the 2014/15 to be charged on arrears of Rates and Charges.

General Manager's REPORT

Council’s Integrated Planning and Reporting (IP&R) for 2014/2015 includes:

· Community Strategic Plan – Cabonne 2025

· Delivery Program 2013/2014 to 2016/2017

· Draft Operational Plan 2014/2015

o Part 1 – The Activities

o Part 2 – Financials including Fees and Charges

· Draft Resource Plans

o HR Workforce Plan

o Asset Management Plan

§ Asset Management Policy

§ Asset Management Strategy

§ Water Supply Asset Management Plan

§ Building Asset Management Plan

§ Recreation Asset Management Plan

§ Sewer Asset Management Plan

§ Transport Asset Management Plan

o Long Term Financial Plan

· Draft Consolidated Income Statement

· Draft Net Expenditure by Category.

Community Strategic Plan

Under section 402 of the Local Government Act each Local Government must have a Community Strategic Plan that has been developed and endorsed by the council. A Community Strategic Plan is a plan that identifies the main priorities and aspirations for the future of the Local Government Area covering a period of at least 10 years from when the plan in endorsed.

The Cabonne Community Strategic Plan ‘Cabonne 2025’ was formally adopted in March 2012. This was the culmination of a period of extensive community consultation commencing in 2009. It commenced with extensive surveying being undertaken of the towns, villages and localities throughout the area to determine future priorities of each of the communities.

In 2011 consultants were engaged to assist Council in conjunction with its WBC Alliance partners to further develop the strategic plan and on 19 July, 2011 in the Cargo Community Hall, 82 passionate community representative of the Shire’s demographic profile attended a workshop to further develop the plan. On 16 August, 2011 a smaller representative group were brought together to shape the final draft of the plan prior to it going on public exhibition during December 2011 and January 2012. This resulted in the final plan being adopted in March 2012. This plan was readopted in June 2013 as required under the Act. The Plan does not need to be reviewed again until after the next Local Government elections but will be included in the public exhibition phase to enable stakeholders to see how it is related to the draft documents being considered.

Delivery Program

Section 404 of the Local Government Act requires that each council must have a Delivery Program detailing the principle activities to be undertaken by the council to implement the strategies established by the Community Strategic Plan within the resources available under the council’s resourcing strategy.

Council established a new Delivery Program following the ordinary election of councillors held in 2012 to cover the principle activities of the council for the 4 year period commencing on the 1 July 2013.

The Program is a means by which council will be assessed by the community on its effectiveness in achieving its objectives over its full electoral term.

As with the Community Strategic Plan, the Delivery Program does not require review until after the next election but it will be placed on public exhibition.

Operational Plan

Each council must also have an Operational Plan that is adopted before the beginning of each financial year that details the activities to be engaged in by the council during the year as part of the Delivery Program covering that year.

Council staff have been involved in an extensive review of the Operational Plan for the 2014/15 year and have tied all expenditure items within the budget to individual operational tasks within the Operational Plan and set targets for each measure. This will enable reporting not only of the performance measures of individual task measurement but also against budget allocations and targets.

As this is the first year that such an endeavour has been attempted it is anticipated that there will be a requirement for further fine tuning between the various operational tasks identified and budgets to which they have been linked. It is hoped however that this will provide council with a more meaningful means by which to measure its performance on a regular basis.

Resourcing Strategy

Each council must also have a long term resourcing strategy for the provision of resources required to implement the strategies established by the Community Strategic Plan. This strategy is to include long term financial planning, workforce management planning and asset management planning. A detailed long term financial plan has been drafted and together with the Workforce Management Plan and a number of other documents in relation to asset management planning. These are the Asset Management Policy, Asset Management Strategy and Asset Management Plans for Transport, Buildings, Recreation, Sewerage and Water Supply.

Only the Long Term Financial Plan (LTFP) and the Transport Asset Management Plan require public exhibition as both have had extensive amendment. The LTFP has been updated to account for actual income and expenditure in previous years and amended forward projections.

The following elements of the Transport Asset Management Plan have been updated:

§ The format and design has been changed to the NAMS.PLUS templates that were used for the other Asset Management Plans.

§ Community and Technical Levels of Service have been reviewed and changed to ensure realistic measurable performance indicators.

§ Maintenance hierarchy categories of the Rural Roads and Urban Streets Asset Groups were simplified to better reflect the use in the road network. Assets belonging to each category have been identified with network maps in the appendices.

This document is a living document, and as such the content will be reviewed, updated and improved as the organisation is able to improve data and collection processes, improve skills in asset management and increase resources to asset management development.

This plan is a ‘core’ level AMP like the other Asset Management Plans, and work will be continuing over the years to progress to an ‘advanced’ level in the organisation’s asset management capability. This is reflected in the ‘Improvement Plan’ within each Asset Management Plan and Asset Management Strategy.

Conclusion

All of the draft documents for the Integrated Planning and Reporting requirements of council have been made available to councillors on their iPads under Council Documents/IP&R. Drafts are then listed for council’s consideration.

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE & CORPORATE SERVICES’ REPORT

Under Section s403 and 405 of the Local Government Act, it is necessary for Council to give public notice of its Draft Operational Plan and Draft Resourcing Strategy after it has been adopted and that the Plans and Program be placed on Public Exhibition for a period of not less than 28 days for public comment.

It is proposed that the Draft Plans be on exhibition at the following location:

§ Council’s Offices in Molong, Cudal and Canowindra;

§ Post Offices in Eugowra, Cumnock and Yeoval;

§ General Store in Cargo;

§ Business Enterprise Centre, Orange;

§ Branch Libraries in Canowindra, Manildra and Molong;

§ Council’s website.

The Librarians will have two copies of the Plans and Program on disc with one being available for overnight loan.

The Draft Plan will be placed on Public Exhibition from Wednesday 7^th May 2013 inviting public submissions. These submissions will close at 5.00pm on Wednesday 4^th June, 2013.

Any alterations made as a result of submissions will be included in the Draft Plans and Program, which will then be presented to Council at its June meeting for final adoption.

DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNICAL SERVICES REPORT

Budget Overview

The 2014/15 Operational Plan is consistent with the IP&R 2013/14 - 2016/17 Delivery Plan in that the maintenance of council’s civil assets is based on total life cycle asset management, level of service and risk.

The 2013/14 budget provided significant funding for rural and urban roads maintenance. Major road asset renewal projects included Gumble Road, Cadia Road and Norah Creek Road. The 2013/14 program also saw the replacement of the Nashdale Railway Bridge.

The 2014/15 Operational Plan incudes budgets for the continuation of asset renewal and asset up-grades based on a socio/economic cost benefit rationale.

Natural Disaster works

There were no Natural Disaster declarations in the previous financial year.

Assets Section

Asset section continues to maintain the asset registers and provide input into the maintenance and renewal programs. The asset group will be re-valuing the Roads and Bridges in 2014/15. Note, all asset groups are required to be re-valued on a 4 year rolling program.

Design Section

Council continues to undertake the majority of project design and specification in house. The training and skill development of “home grown” personnel has proven to be very successful.

Operations – Roads and Bridges

The Roads and Maritime Services RMS continues to be council’s largest customer with Council being the contractor for State Roads in the Cabonne LGA with projected works exceeding $2.5M in 2014/15. As mentioned previously the focus on the local road network will be the renewal of the rural sealed road network. The gravel road maintenance and re-sheeting program will be maintained with the usual rate pegged increase. A detailed asset renewal program will be submitted to Works Committee in August/September.

Operations – Urban Services and Utilities

Water Supply and Sewerage Services – Implementation of Drinking Water Guidelines continues to put a strain on the Water Fund as the regulatory requirements for quality management increases demand on human resources and technology. Council is required to implement best practice for water supply and sewerage services and has been undertaking Integrated Water Cycle Management and Drinking Water Management System projects. These projects will continue in 2014/15. The outlook for water supply and sewerage service fees and charges will necessarily see a higher than CPI increase in the medium to long term.

Four Towns Sewerage Reticulation – Work on the Yeoval and Cumnock sewerage reticulation commenced in 2013/14 and will continue in 2014/15. Reticulation and Sewer treatment plant works were completed in 2013/14 with the on-property works to be completed in 2014/15.

Urban Services – this area in the budget includes a wide variety of activities and services associated with urban areas throughout the Cabonne LGA and includes;

· Footpaths, drainage, kerb and gutter maintenance,

· Public Recreation areas;

o Parks, gardens, reserves and showgrounds

o Sporting facilities

o Swimming pools

o Recreation and culture

· Town Beautification – mowing, tree maintenance, street cleaning, public toilets.

Plant and Depots

Council’s policy of maintaining a fully funded major plant replacement reserve has resulted in Cabonne Council having one of the most modern and complete fleets of heavy road making plant of any council in NSW.

Council staff use a 10 year plant replacement program for financial management and review of the charge out rates. Major plant items for replacement in 2014/15 includes and excavator and backhoes.

Macquarie Valley Weeds Advisory Committee (MVWAC)

The MVWAC administers State funds for the management of weeds in the Macquarie catchment. Cabonne Council is the lead organisation for the Committee and hosts the Regional Project Officer. Council receives funding for the Regional Project Officer and weed management.

Molong Limestone Quarry

Molong quarry products, particularly specified road base (DGB20) continues to gain more share of the regional market and is a large percentage of the total production of the quarry.

The current Mining Operation Plan (MOP) expires in June 2015. Planning and preparation of a new MOP will be undertaken in 2014/15 to ensure the new MOP is approved and in place for July 2015.

DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES’ REPORT

The 2014/15 draft IP&R report covering the role and function of Council’s Environmental Services Department aims at maintaining existing levels of services while seeking budget allocations to progress key programs.

The Environmental Services Delivery Program and Operational Plan focuses on the provision of an adequate level of service to the community with respect to development assessment and building control, strategic planning, environmental health, waste management, cemetery management and animal control. Many of these functions are shaped by State and Federal laws and have considerable impact upon the wider community.

Local Environmental Plan (LEP)

The Standard Instrument LEP implemented on 18 January 2013 provides the strategic direction of development within the shire. Generally the new LEP has been well received.

Council is preparing a comprehensive Development Control Plan (DCP) to support the LEP. The DCP is being prepared by staff subject to resources therefore completion of the draft has been delayed.

Development and building controls

Staff levels have remained stable over the past 12 months, with contract support continuing to enable delivery of health and building as well as waste management services. Council has not been able to fill the vacancy left by the resignation in October 2012 of the Manager Building and Environment. The budget allocation reflects retention of the current staffing levels and acknowledged the employment of contract relief staff. Council contracts Food Inspections and offsets the cost by income generated from fees charged for the required inspections. The Environmental Services Department aims at a cost neutral situation in delivering this service.

Departmental resourcing focuses on planning and building assessments and critical stage inspections as a priority. Obligations to carry out septic tank inspection, swimming pool regulation inspections and heath inspections cannot be undertaken to acceptable levels due to staff levels, work load and budget allocation in these areas.

Waste management

This continues as a key priority for council. Comprehensive strategic and operational plans for the management of council’s landfill sites and waste management services continue to be implemented through the operational and delivery plans. Implementation of these programs is progressive. Budget allocation for 2014/15 enables site remediation to be finalised at Yeoval and continued at Cargo.

The collective approach of Netwaste assists council in the cost effective operation of the landfill and transfer sites and the introduction of recycling technology such as the collaborative approach to the regional purchase of a glass crusher in 2012. The glass crusher commenced trial operating at Manildra tip in April 2014. Annual collections for household chemicals, waste oil and the like have been well received by the community.

Council has obtained an independent review of the proposal to date for remediation of the former Molong Gasworks site. In consultation with Environmental Trust/EPA a revised groundwater monitoring plan and schedule of works has been completed. Expression of interest to carry out the site remediation program are expected to be sought in 2015.

Cemetery management

Council maintains 11 general cemeteries. July 2013 marked the 150^th anniversary of the Molong Cemetery. Improvement works at this cemetery included replacement of the ornate timber entrance gate and fence. All cemeteries are maintained on a regular basis with seasonal programs to control weeds and pests.

Animal Control

A full time Ranger has commenced duties with Cabonne enabling a consistent and high profile program to be implemented.

Heritage

Council will continue to seek funding opportunities/grants to enable heritage main street studies to be carried out for Molong and Canowindra.

Environmental management, climate change and sustainability

A continuation of existing funding allocation is included to progress the adopted strategies contained within the ReSAP (Sustainability Action Plan). Continuation of the annual funding of the Regional State of Environment Report as a collaborative by local government with the Central Tablelands Local Lands Service is also included.

SENIOR ACCOUNTING OFFICER’S REPORT

The Draft Budget for 2014/2015 is presented to Council; this summary endeavours to outline the main achievements considered in the Budget process and present a condensed form of the overall result. This budget has been prepared on a cash basis; Council’s Long Term Financial Plan is prepared in accordance with the Office of Local Government’s requirements for the Annual Statements.

The new IT System is continuing to maintain considerable flexibility in actually budgeting at a level not previously available. With one complete year of the new system entered, this information will be valuable in comparing data and expenditure trends in the years to come. An attempt has been made to bring into line Council’s Asset Management Plan with the budget process, however, the Plan and interaction with the budget requires more attention and it will be implemented fully in the 2015/2016 budget process.

The Operating Income for the 2014/2015 budget is $36,225,056 and the capital income from grants and contributions is expected to be $2,593,455, giving a total of $38,818,511.

The Operating Expenditure is $38,151,950 and capital purchases will be $10,073,081.

Rating income has been allowed to increase by 2.3%, the maximum allowable rate as set by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal. Generally, all other expenses have been increased by this amount, excepting insurance which has increased by 10% and wages, the actual increase is not available at this time however a margin of 3% has been set.

Governance

Again, an amount of $20,000 has been allocated for the Conduct Review program. As well, a new project named Enterprise Excellence has been included in this section. The amount of $114,000 for this program has been funded from Reserve.

No other major matters are included here.

WBC Alliance

As well as the cost of the WBC Project Manager other costs have been included in this year’s budget. There has been $50,000 allocated for Shared Services and $40,000 for an Organisation Audit. These projects have been funded from Council’s reserve. The cost of the Project Manager’s salary and expenses is covered by contributions from the Alliance partners and includes an amount of $60,906 from Cabonne Council.

Administration

This section includes the Corporate, Engineering and Environment operations of Council and other costs associated with Council buildings.

The HACC building in Canowindra is set to receive $90,000 for the replacement of the roof.

The total cost of all of Council’s employees will be $11,943,601 this includes an increase of 3% on wages, although the official advice is not yet available, conversations with other Councils indicate that this will be the increase applied from the 01/07/2014. Superannuation costs will increase from the 1/07/2014 by .25% to 9.5%.

Capital expenditure in the IT area amounts to $306,600 and is aligned to the computer replacement program.

Council’s plant operations will purchase new plant in excess of $2.309 million with asset sales of $600,000, and a net estimated profit on sale of equipment of $200,000. Other income noted in the Plant area is the receipt of the diesel fuel rebate of $112,288.

Depot operations will expend $267,160, while workshops expend $60,000. Also included in the Engineering section of this budget is a new allocation of $50,000 for assistance in the upgrade of Council’s Asset Management Plan.

The total impact on Council’s reserves has been a reduction of the amount held in reserve by a modest $489,494, excluding water and sewerage. The annual provision, that is transfers to reserves, was$7,648,405 while the withdrawal from reserves was $8,137,899.

The result of the provision accounts has been an increase of $212,115.

Public Order and Safety

The greatest expense in this area is the Contribution to the RFS and this year Council has allowed an increase of only 2.3%, the payment will be $171,268.

Health

Salaries are the main expense in this area. A total of $413,056 in expenditure is forecast together with an income of $90,440.

Environment

Domestic waste charges have been increased by 2.3% and it is expected that $40,716 will be earned in interest on the externally restricted reserve set aside for domestic waste.

Tip rehabilitation expenses have been assigned to both the Cargo and Yeoval sites and total $100,000. The problem of disposing of old tyres has been highlighted in this budget and an amount of $53,000 has been allocated to the shredding of the tyres, in Canowindra, Yeoval and Cumnock.

Other new projects included in the Other Waste Management include;

· Sealing Eugowra tip access road - $10,000

· Re Bitumen Canowindra tip access road - $35,000

· Cumnock waste new cell works - $44,700.

In Urban Stormwater Drainage $71,610 has been allocated to new drainage works.

Environmental protection has been allocated an additional $20,000 for land care, while a property in Molong is to be purchased as flood prone property. Grant funds of $224,000 will be available and the remainder $56,000 will be funded from Council’s reserve.

The Eugowra flood plain levee project has been acknowledged in this budget in the amount of $1,000,000; it is expected grant funds of $666,666 will be received and the remainder covered by reserve funds.

The landfills will expend a total of $740,000 in maintenance costs and will be offset by user charges amounting to $100,813.

This area also includes noxious weeds and the total expenditure is $205,936 with grant funding of $102,968 expected for the control of invasive species.

Community Services

Income in this area exceeds $1.6 million and funds Cabonne’s assistance to the neediest within our communities. Child Care funding of $999,127 has been identified and this includes Family Day Care and the After School Hours Care programs.

Included in the total received in funding is $611,343 which is applied to assist the elderly and disabled in our communities in the form of HACC services and Community Transport.

All of these programs play a vital role in our community and the funding is extremely important to the future delivery of these essential services.

Housing & Community Services

This program includes Housing, Cemeteries, Public Conveniences, other Community Amenities and Town Planning.

A total of expenditure amount of $170,350 in the cemeteries area has been allocated. An additional item of $10,000 has been included in the asset renewal section of this programme for the sealing of the Manildra Cemetery internal driveway

Expenditure in the area of public conveniences totals $155,750.

Town planning expenses of $273,186, mainly salary expense, and is offset with income amounting to $143,120.

No other matters of significance are noted in this section.

Cabonne Water

It has been necessary to continue with the increase of 10% in water charges, in an effort to offset the considerable expense involved in providing the service. Models shown in our LTFP show that the increase is necessary as Council must recover the full cost of the provision of water supply services to have a sustainable future.

Capital expenditure forecast in the budget is $308,000 and includes a renewal of the water main on the Mitchell Highway of $80,000.

Cabonne Sewer

This program includes Molong, Eugowra and Canowindra and will produce income revenue of $1,210,463. The charges have increased by the 2.3 %, allowed on general rates.

Capital expenditure of $308,878 will be spent in the 2014/2015 year and include $55,000 for new pumps allocated in various areas, Canowindra pump station trash tracks $50,000, Telemetry costs of $119,000 and $5,000 for Betts Street emergency discharge.

Small Town Sewerage is due to be completed in the coming year and a cost of $718,589 has been allocated to capital works in Yeoval and Cumnock.

A cost of $40,000 has been allocated for costs involved in seeking permission to irrigate Cudal effluent.

Income will not be received for Yeoval and Cumnock until those towns are actually connected, this will reflect badly on 2014/2015 budget and will be correct in future years.

Income expected from the Cudal and Manildra Sewerage supplies will be $315,117 and a total of capital grant income of $841,489 is expected.

Recreation & Culture

This program is one of the largest programs in Council’s budget. In excess of $1.3 million has been allocated to the various subprograms and can be seen more closely on the budget summary page for Recreation and Culture.

Parks and Gardens, in maintenance costs, have received an amount of $163,759 while sporting grounds have received $154,014 an increase of approximately $40,000 on the previous year’s allocation.

Public Libraries have been allocated $270,288, however, the main cost here is the contribution to the Central West Libraries and totals $242,050, and a subsidy of $49,528 is expected to offset that amount.

Halls have been allocated $40,000 in expenditure costs and a further $13,000 in capital expenditure for the repainting of the Manildra and Cumnock Halls.

Age of Fishes has been allocated $113,357 and an additional item has been added in the Museum section for a Regional Museum Project with an allocation of $15,000.

Molong Community Church has been allocated $16,600 for the upgrade of guttering, windows and the veranda; this cost has been funded from reserve.

New chlorinators have been included for the swimming pools at a cost of $24,000, as well $20,000 being allocated to complete a swimming pool safety audit program. This is essential for Council to maintain and operate the swimming pools.

Playgrounds have been allocated in excess of $60,000 in order to upgrade some of the facilities including swings, soft fall and edging.

Mining Manufacture and Construction

This area includes the Molong Quarry operations, Building Control and Gravel Pitts operations. Income is noted of $1,723,716 and expenditure of $1,240,944.

Transport & Communication

An increase in the allowable budget for sealed operations has been allocated. The total amount is $3,169,838 and a further $1,449,751 has been allocated to the unsealed operations.

Regional roads have been allocated an amount equivalent to the Block Grant of $1,050,000 in roads maintenance.

In capital expenditure Blackspot Funding has been allocated $781,300 and will be applied to Blatchford Street Canowindra and Lake Canobolas Road. Other Blackspot funding may be available later in the 2014/2015 year, however, no official advice has been received to this date.

State road maintenance has been allocated $528,000 and ordered works $3,000,000. The ordered works is likely to increase later in the year but again, no official advice is forthcoming from the RMS.

Funding for the St Germain’s bridge and Marylebone Bridge of $425,000 has been sourced from Council’s capital works reserve.

In the footpath program $40,000 has been applied to the construction of new works and $97,185 for new kerb and gutter works.

In construction of new pathways Council has allocated $60,000 with RMS matching this amount for a new pathway from South Canowindra to Canowindra over the bridge.

In total, the Transport and Communication area is extensive and consists of $9,626,904 in operating expenditure, with capital expenditure in excess of $3.2 million dollars.

Economic Affairs

Caravan expenditure has been determined to reach $204,945 and will be offset by income of $115,694. No additional capital expenditure is sought for the Caravan parks.

A vote of $60,000, from the current year for the Molong Central Area Strategy Plan has been set aside until 2014/2015, and will be increased to $120,000 to incorporate Canowindra Central Area as well. The funding for this project has been taken from Council’s reserves.

Economic development has been allocated three additional amounts;

· Shire Unity Brand - $20,000

· Communications Development - $50,000

· Economic Development Plan - $50,000

These projects have been funded from reserve.

The cost for the development of the Manildra Residential area has been revoted from the current year until the 2014/2015 budget. This amount is $165,000 and is again funded from reserve.

Other matters, for example, the possible renting of the old Gelato factory have not yet been determined, however, may apply later in the 2014/2015 budget period.

General Purpose Revenues

Rates have been increased by the allowable 2.3% and it is estimated that in excess of $9.3 million dollars will be gained in revenue in this area.

The Financial Assistance Grants total in excess of $4.5 million, $2.5 million apply to General and the remainder $2 million to roads.

Interest income will be $1,051,663 and has been estimated on a interest rate achievement of 3.5%. Advice has been sought from other financial institutions and the rate of return is expected to increase from the present position.