19/06/2017
This morning I handed down the City's Budget for 2017-18 and I'm pleased to say we have kept rates and water charges low while continuing to deliver the services the community expects and needs.
For ratepayers, we've kept the average general rate increase in line with CPI at 1.8%.
Next year's Commonwealth Games will be an historic event in our cityβs history and this budget lays the foundation to take us past the Games and to put our city way ahead.
Here are some of the highlights (you can visit www.cityofgoldcoast.com.au/budget for more):
- Investing more than $100 million constructing, maintaining and renewing roads.
- $5 million invested in the continuation of Light Rail with detailed reference designs on Stage 3A Broadbeach to Burleigh Heads.
- $2 million invested in operating a 24 hour CCTV safety camera network.
- $9.8 million delivering the Northern Beaches Shoreline Project to protect the city by widening the beach and dunes at Surfers Paradise and Narrowneck.
- More than $70 million invested in economic development and job creation.
- Providing $341,000 for permanent beach matting and wheelchairs so everyone can enjoy a beach experience.
- Investing more than $32 million promoting Gold Coast amenities regionally, nationally and internationally with funding for Gold Coast Tourism, Surfers Paradise Alliance, Broadbeach Alliance and Connecting Southern Gold Coast.
- $2.7 million invested to support Study Gold Coast and major events that attract visitors and students to the city.
- More than $124 million to provide a network of safe, accessible and attractive parks, and management of more than 13,000 hectares of bushland.
- More than $404,000 to develop and implement a citywide koala conservation program.
- Investing more than $24 million to complete the Cultural Precinct Stage 1. This includes construction of the amphitheatre and detailed design and early works for the new art gallery and pedestrian bridge.
- More than $19 million allocated to collecting waste from residential and commercial properties throughout the city, and over $224 million providing safe and reliable drinking water across the city.
- $685,000 invested in developing the Gold Coast Sports Precinct at Carrara and more than $1.3 million renewing facilities at Miami Aquatic Centre.
- $5 million to progress detailed planning for new sporting/aquatic facilities at Pimpama to support the growing population of the northern Gold Coast.
- $97 million to host the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.