By Kerri-Anne Mesner
MELTON Shire Council adopted its 2007/08 budget last Monday, adding four funding projects after receiving eight submissions — none from Caroline Springs.
After the draft budget was released to the community early June, Caroline Springs Residents Association president Steve Schembri hit out at the budget saying the 2.2 per cent rate rise added insult to injury as Melton residents were already paying higher rates than people in Brimbank.
Melton mayor Justin Mammarella and chief executive officer Neville Smith both said there were no written submissions from any residents or organisations in the Eastern Corridor.
However, there were eight submissions received with four areas highlighted in the submissions receiving funding in the budget, Mr Smith said.
He said there were two residential groups represented at the Melton Shire Council meeting last Monday night when the budget was adopted.
“Both spoke to me after the meeting and said how tremendously pleased they were about the level of services and infrastructure was being provided to the Eastern Corridor,” Mr Smith said.
“We did see the comments (Caroline Springs Residents Association’s) in the paper, although they were comments I wouldn’t agree with.”
He said the $9.5 million budget was the biggest Melton Shire Council had delivered and meet the community’s needs in accordance with the council’s plan.
“We believe this is our best budget yet in balancing fiscal responsibility with spending on much-needed programs and services,” Cr Mammarella said. “We think this is a terrific outcome for the whole municipality.
“This budget will deliver on our commitment to ratepayers while staying kind to their own household budgets, and with just a modest rate increase of 2.2 per cent, this is one of the lowest, if not the lowest local government rate increase in Victoria.
“It is also the third year in which rates have matched or been below the Consumer Price Index,” he said.
An additional $195,000 has been added to the budget to help fund new community projects.
