KOROIT Skate Park, Mortlake library and information centre, and Port Fairy Surf Lifesaving Club were among the winners in Moyne Shire’s 2016/2017 budget.
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The council has committed to $18.3 million in capital works, including $11.9 million on its road network.
The biggest ticket item is $750,000 to upgrade Mortlake’s library and information centre, while a Port Fairy Surf Lifesaving Club extension will receive $512,000.
The long-mooted Koroit Skate Park will go ahead thanks to a $170,000 allocation while the swimming pools at Mortlake ($250,000) and Hawkesdale ($51,300) will be refurbished.
Moyne Shire will also spend money on upgrading Wangoom Recreation Reserve ($115,000), footpaths in Powling Street, Port Fairy ($110,000) and Cudgee ($70,000), playground renewal at Yambuk Lake ($25,000), and refurbishment of the halls at Macarthur ($20,000) and Mailors Flat ($16,000).
Toilets feature prominently in the capital works budget, including the amenities at Woorndoo Recreation Reserve ($115,000), Mortlake Bowls Club ($60,000), and Yambuk ($35,000).
Non-statutory fees and charges will rise four per cent but rates are capped at 2.5 per cent due to State Government legislation, which led to Moyne Shire pulling $614,000 worth of savings from its $49.4 million operating budget and $220,000 from its capital works budget.
Acting director of community and corporate support Campbell McKenzie said the council was also working without the Federal Government’s financial assistance grants program and the State Government’s $1 million from the country roads and bridges program.
Mr McKenzie said the shire would be debt-free by 2020-2021.
The budget is available for public submissions until June 7. The council will vote to adopt the budget on June 28.
Koroit Skate Park working group member Bart Gane said the announcement of skate park funding was fantastic.
“This is a perfect piece of infrastructure for Koroit,” Mr Gane said.
“The call-out for a park over the last few years is an example of the growing number of families in Koroit, and we also have the highest proportion of teenagers in any town in Moyne Shire.”
Cr Kelvin Goodall said the budget was also a good win for Mortlake calling it “the deluge after the drought”.
Aside from the library/information centre, pool, and bowls club toilets, Mortlake will also receive a sprinkler system in Market Square and sealing works at DC Farran Oval.
