Letter for spring newletter

Email letter for Michael’s “Spring 2016 Newsletter”

Dear Friends and owners of Unley,

          Once again I had too much material to fit in the newsletter to be printed. It has been a pleasure to be the presiding officer of the Infrastructure and Sustainability Committee and I have reported many of the outcomes of this work which was unanimously endorsed by Council. I have attached the links to the reports and strategic planning documents.

DOGS:  Changes to Dog access to parks were open for consultation. “HAVE YOUR SAY!” I have attached this advice.

The parking and traffic:  Community feedback has now been received from the consultation (June 2016) on the draft LATM plan - Unley Wayville and Goodwood. A report on the matter, is scheduled to be provided at the next Council meeting.

Unley Central  

Thank you to all those who have responded with ideas and critiques of the documents being planned. http://yoursay.unley.sa.gov.au/your-say-unley contains more information and links on the Unley Central planning.

The elected Councillors of Unley take their role seriously and I thank again the staff for their support and professionalism in preparing the budgets, and the staff who have worked with the Infrastructure and Sustainability Committee in including the public feedback when shaping our strategic plans.

With my good wishes

                             Michael

Michael's 2016 spring News

Winter e news Rates update

Rates increase lost.

Four Councillors voted to increase the rates from 2.2%  to 2.7% 

DIVISION

Those voting in the affirmative:

Councillors Schnell, Boisvert, Salaman and Hudson

Those voting in the negative:

Councillors Smolucha, Hewitson, Palmer, Hughes, Lapidge, Sangster and Rabbitt

The AMENDMENT was declared LOST

The original MOTION was put and declared CARRIED

Our rates will go up by an average calculated using the council method at 2.2%. When the the final rates charged and the number of residential ratepayers are known I suspect this will become an actual mathematical residential rate rise of 2.3 -2.4%. In an earlier blog below I have explained the reasons why our rates going up twice the rate of our costs should not be increase even further!

Push to increase Rates is Wrong

Unlimited Money is unlimited waste. 

Unley Council has the financial capacity to borrow millions more because we are running a budget with a $2.8 million surplus and can afford to pay it off. We received professional accounting advice reporting that our finances are in good shape. The only item for expenditure queried by the commercial accountant was the spending of over $4 million on Goodwood Road footpath upgrades without a  business plan. To have higher rates would simply increase our "profits" and increase our future capacity to borrow. My concern is this may allow future capital works to be easily undertaken without a business plan to back it.

We should maintain trust with accurate Consultation

Is it fair to our ratepayers to present a budget for consultation and after consultation to significantly raise the rates?  Some Councillors are pushing for increasing rates from 2.2% to 2.7%. We have consulted on a project costing $170,000 and with mixed feedback have reduced our capital expenditure.... after consultation yet some are proposing to increase.... not reduce the rate.

 

February 2016 Newsletter