Have a say on Budget spending and services

RESIDENTS are being asked to help shape the current budget funding priorities and how they want to be consulted on future budgets.

With the continued uncertainty of COVID-19, Council’s 2020-21 budget was framed around a number of assumptions regarding income from many of the Council facilities and Holiday Parks.

“It was very difficult to determine how much revenue we would receive, given the impacts of COVID-19,” said Mayor Clare Stewart.

“That’s why we committed to asking the community for its thoughts as part of our Budget review.”

Council’s first quarter budget review has just been completed and preparations are about to start on the second quarter Budget Review to be considered by Councillors in November 2020.

“We want the community to provide some guidance on where we should spend any additional income or conversely where we may need to make cuts, due to a lack of revenue,” Cr Stewart said.

An online survey, posing four questions will be available via Your Say Noosa website from Monday September 7.

Residents will have three weeks to provide their thoughts with the survey closing on Sunday September 27.

Cr Stewart hoped the community carefully considered its choices when providing feedback.

“The budget centred on supporting and assisting our community to recover from the pandemic and that has not changed,” she said.

“We are still navigating our way through COVID-19 and staff are working hard to continue to deliver the essential services while supporting the community through the pandemic and the recovery phase,” she said.

 “We have a responsibility to lead a COVIDSafe community and this can only be achieved by supporting each other and building resilience,” Cr Stewart said.

To provide feedback, visit Council’s Your Say Noosa website from September 7.