Hilltops Council has a number of draft polices on public exhibition as part of the draft Hilltops Council Integrated Planning and Reporting Documents following the April Ordinary Meeting.
At the meeting Council resolved to receive and note the report, place on public exhibition the Hilltops Community Strategic Plan 2042 (2025 Review), Draft Hilltops Council Delivery Program 2025-2029, Draft Hilltops Council Operational Plan 2025-2026 including Annual Budget, Revenue Policy and Fees and Charges, Draft Hilltops Council Resourcing Strategy including Long Term Financial Plan, Workforce Management Strategy and Asset Management Strategy.
It was also resolved as part of the motion that before Council's budget summary and Revenue Plan is placed on public exhibition the access and user charges relating to the Young Water Fund were returned to the rates set for the 2024/2025 budget.
Cr Douglas put forward an amendment that Young water receive a proposed increase of 2.2 percent instead of the 4.4 percent for ongoing future costs.
"While the Young the Young Water and Sewer Fund is currently delivering a strong operational result, I believe that a proposal of no increase may place pressure on our ability in the future to cover operational costs, to ensure long term sustainability, I would like to propose a 2.2 increase, which changes from the 4.4 that was previously considered," Cr Douglas said.
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"To ensure that we still are providing a responsible increase for ongoing future costs."
Cr Flanery as the original mover of the recommendation did not agree with the amendment and it was debated amongst Councillors.
Cr Douglas then clarified that it was only the Water side of things she was referring to.
Mayor Ingram spoke against the amendment.
"As I spoke in the workshop Councillors, recently, and also 12 months ago in regard to the Young Water Fund, Cr Douglas is right in one respect, that the Young Water Fund is a money maker," he said.
"Just put aside for one second that the Water and Sewer Funds aren't meant to make big financial profits, they're meant to manage the water services we need and ongoing upgrades, which the current Young Water Fund does.
"I will be looking to move an amendment to have no increase to the Young Water Fund user access and user charges this financial year given the numbers that are reported to us in regard to that fund.
"I will make it simple, if we were to leave the rates for the Young Water the same as 24/25 and expected charges that Council have laid out for us, we'd have a surplus of approximately $1,100,000."
Mayor Ingram went on to say that the approximated $1.1 million is before Capital Grants.
"And that's also taking into consideration the 700-odd-thousand dollars for depreciation," he said.
"Not to mention, and don't quote me, but it's close, $8.4 million in the reserve fund.
"Staff have a job to do, staff were instructed to run 4.4 over all these funds, and Councillors, I'm here to tell you today that this is our budget, we're the ones who make the decisions, we're the ones who need to have some input on a case by case basis, because this throwing the blanket over everything doesn't work."
Mayor Ingram went on to say that if the Young rate was dropped then Council would need to increase another area by 'about 22 percent.'
"If you want to charge Young 2.2 then you've got to charge one of these other funds about 22 percent to make them viable," he said.
"I don't want to go there, I just want to concentrate on the water users and payers in the former Young LGA, who are paying above overs and have been for a long time.
"But every year we throw 4.4 over everyone.
"It is not fair, it is not equitable and it's absolutely, I think, downright rude."
Mayor Ingram said that because it is the Councillor's budget he'd be voting against 2.2 and moving an amendment of his own.
"I cannot in good conscience vote for any increase in the Water Fund in Young," Mayor Ingram said.
Cr Douglas' amendment was lost with Cr Douglas, Cr Gallo, Cr Mackay and Cr Stadtmiller voting to adopt the amendment and Cr Blackwell, Cr Dodd, Cr Davis, Cr Flanery, Cr Foreman, Cr Ingram and Cr Langford voting against it.
Mayor Ingram's amendment was adopted by Council and included in the resolution.
"The amendment is that before the Council's budget summary and revenue plan is placed on public exhibition the access and user charges relating to the Young Water Fund are returned to the rates set for the 2024-2025 Budget," Mayor Ingram said.
Cr Blackwell put forward an amendment to add $35,000 each (from the General Fund) to the budget for Boorowa and Harden Chambers to be upgraded to hold meetings, the amendment was lost with Cr Blackwell, Cr Gallo, Cr Mackay and Cr Stadtmiller voting for and Cr Dodd, Cr Davis, Cr Douglas, Cr Flanery, Cr Foreman, Cr Ingram and Cr Langford voting against.
Cr Ingram, Cr Dodd and Cr Flanery spoke against the amendment while Cr Blackwell, Cr Stadtmiller and Cr Mackay spoke for the amendment.
Councillors were then given the opportunity to ask the General Manager and Directors questions relating to the budget.
The recommendation to receive and note the report, place on public exhibition the Hilltops Community Strategic Plan 2042 (2025 review), Draft Hilltops Council Resourcing Strategy including Long Term Financial Plan, Workforce Management Strategy and Asset Management Strategy, following public exhibition a further report be submitted to Council for the consideration of submissions and adoption of these documents and that before the Council's budget summary and Revenue Plan is placed on public exhibition the access and user charges relating to the Young Water Fund are returned to the rates set for 2024/2025 budget was voted for by Cr Dodd, Cr Davis, Cr Flanery, Cr Ingram, Cr Langford and Cr Stadtmiller and against by Cr Blackwell, Cr Douglass, Cr Foreman, Cr Gallo and Cr Mackay.
