Budget slashers go to work

By Sarah Schwager and Callan Date
CASEY Council may have to slash millions from its operating budget to fulfil councillors’ wish list.
The council failed to finalise its draft budget at the weekend, instead sending council officers back to the drawing board.
A council source said officers were asked to slash up to $3.2 million from the day-to-day operating budget of the council.
“They are going to work out where they can cut some costs and make some savings,” the source said.
“I think they will be able to find some savings. They have been able to do it every year so they should be able to do it again.”
The source said the extra projects included a $330,000 car park upgrade at Sweeney Reserve in Berwick and an upgrade of the Ray Bastin Reserve car park in Narre Warren.
One proviso of the cost cutting by councillors was that there could be no job losses among Casey staff.
“A motion was put forward ensuring that there is to be no staff redundancies as a result of the cost cutting,” the source said.
Another source estimated there would be a 6 per cent rate rise next financial year.
Deputy mayor Kevin Bradford said while the draft budget had not been totally ratified yet, the process was followed through, with not only the capital works project but the operating budget, which includes staff salaries, services and officer initiatives, looked at in detail.
“One good thing is that there was a unanimous agreement to keep rate rises as low as possible,” Cr Bradford said.
“It is going to be at least the CPI, which is about 3.5 per cent, but I can’t imagine it will be much more than that.”
Cr Bradford said in the Cranbourne area the usual road projects had been looked at but there would be greater emphasis on the Cranbourne Aquatic and Leisure Centre.
He said a number of projects had been proposed by councillors for the north of the city but that might well change as there would not necessarily be funds for all of them.
He said a sign at Casey Fields was in the mix at the moment.
Council officers are now coming up with a new budget proposal, and there will be a briefing with councillors in a couple of weeks after which the budget can be adopted.