Brisbane City Council today announced a citywide rates increase of 6.35 per cent which is anticipated to be the lowest rates increase in South East Queensland this year.
The modest increase – of which 35 per cent was due to State Government water charges – would equate to an increase of $116 a year for the average household.
It occurred against a backdrop of record investment in roads and public transport infrastructure project, and record spending on the environment.
In unveiling his $3.4 billion budget, Lord Mayor Campbell Newman said Council’s focus was on providing solid and tangible infrastructure that would last generations to come.
The budget includes record capital works funding of $1.5 billion and record roads and transport funding of $1.5 billion.
However it also delivers record savings of $445 million to be locked away in Council’s infrastructure reserves for future road and tunnel projects.
“My team has made the decision to borrow what we can from the State Government so we can continue to address traffic congestion, and secure jobs in tough economic times,” the Lord Mayor said.
“The last budget was about setting the platform for a range of important projects. This budget is about delivering on our promises for record numbers of buses, and record roads projects.”
This financial year will see funding for the opening of the CLEM7 tunnel, from Woolloongabba to Bowen Hills, and the opening of the Hale St Link bridge in 2010 – providing an additional eight lanes of road capacity to Brisbane’s ailing network.
Eleven new major road projects worth $164 million will start as part of the Lord Mayor’s plan to fast-track 15 years of upgrades on Brisbane’s worst congested roads into just four years.
There will be $128 billion to upgrade the road network, including $45 million to resurface 450 local roads.
Council will spend over $230 million on public transport, including 125 new buses ($59 million) and land for two new bus depots in the north and south of Brisbane.
Two new CityCats will see the fleet size doubled since the Lord Mayor was elected in 2004.
Next year the public will see its first new bus rapid transit service from Newstead to West End. And $33 million will be spent on cycle projects to transform Brisbane into a Cycle City.
Council projects will create over 14,000 new jobs.
Council’s investment in the environment tops $190 million for the first time in history as Council ramps up spending towards its goal of two million trees.
More land will be saved from development than ever before through the Bushland Acquisition Levy, and land preservation and forestation measures.\
Construction will begin on a major eco park at Karawatha in Brisbane’s south.
Council will continue to work to reduce household carbon footprints with extensive solar hot water and ClimateSmart rebates.
For the first time in years, the public will be offered greater choice on garbage services.
Council will offer a green waste bin for lawn clippings, and an additional recycling bin to households ahead of a new garbage contract in 2011/12.
It will also extend e-waste collection days to four times a year.
About $30 million will be spent preparing Brisbane for storms and flooding. For the first time SES workers will receive annual payments of up to $500 as incentive to remain in the service.
Council will add an additional two graffiti clean up teams (total 12) to continue its crackdown on vandalism which has already seen 78 offenders charged with 2246 offences.
Footpath funding will jump to $23 million on the back of a new fine regime which targets motorists who cause traffic congestion, or threaten public safety.
Council will also spend $107 million on Neighbourhood Planning to consult the community on how to address the State Government’s requirement for Brisbane to accommodate another 156,000 dwellings.
Five new Neighbourhood Plans will be unveiled across the city in addition to 20 plans already underway.
Lord Mayor Campbell Newman said his team was eager to keep its foot on the accelerator to provide jobs while addressing Brisbane’s traffic congestion, which was worse than Sydney.
He said the Budget was produced against a backdrop of the world economic crisis which created a $45 million black hole. However Council had fought back with $50 million in internal savings harness through the Budget development process.
“We have had to make tough decisions, such as ending the longstanding rainwater tank rebate, and slashing staff travel,” Cr Newman said. “We have also borrowed responsibly at just 38 per cent of annual revenue.”
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