Community consultation a valuable opportunity to help shape Council's budget
Community consultation on Scenic Rim Regional Council's Draft 2025-2026 Budget has now opened
In tandem with the Draft Corporate Plan 2025-2030, Scenic Rim Regional Council's Draft Budget will be open for consultation for four weeks during April and May 2025.
Scenic Rim Mayor Tom Sharp urged residents and business operators to make the most of a valuable opportunity to provide their feedback online via the Let's Talk Scenic Rim community engagement platform by attending one of the three community consultation sessions at Beaudesert, Boonah or Tamborine Mountain in coming weeks.
"Our greatest challenge in developing the budget is to provide the needed community services at a fair and reasonable cost to the community, using an effective and efficient workforce," he said.
Last year's budget community consultation confirmed that roads and supporting infrastructure such as drainage were the highest priority.
In addition, the Draft Budget will enable Council to further identify the community's key priorities and how these are to be delivered.
Capital works in the Draft Budget include a $1 million asphalt renewal program and improved management of leachate at the Bromelton landfill.
The draft budget also provides for $1 million of new programs to enhance environmental management and support landholders in maintaining the Scenic Rim's natural assets which is to be funded by an environmental levy of $50 a year.
Scenic Rim Regional Council CEO David Keenan said that both of these inclusions will assist in supporting future waste management and agribusiness initiatives.
Mr Keenan also noted that the draft budget is based on a notional seven per cent increase to general rates, the community infrastructure charge and fees and charges and a 14.3 per cent increase to Council's waste collection and disposal charges.
Cr Sharp said the December 2024 National CPI was 2.4 per cent and the Brisbane CPI was 1.8 per cent. The 2025-2026 Queensland Council Cost Index has not been released at this stage.
"Once again, I hope everyone will take the time to share their ideas on what matters most to them so that our budget priorities align with ratepayers' needs," he said.
Community consultation on the Draft Corporate Plan 2025-2030 and Draft Budget 2025-2026 will take place at three face-to face events:
• Wednesday 30 April 2025 at The Centre Beaudesert from 5pm to 7pm
• Thursday 1 May 2025 at Boonah Culture Centre from 5pm to 7pm, and
• Tuesday 6 May 2025 at Vonda Youngman Community Centre, Tamborine Mountain from 5pm to 7pm.
To book a place at one of these events, please visit Let's Talk Scenic Rim letstalk.scenicrim.qld.gov.au/, email engagement@scenicrim.qld.gov.au or call 07 5540 5111.
Feedback can also be provided online, through Council's community engagement platform, letstalk.scenicrim.qld.gov.au/ and through hard-copy submissions.