SOME of the highlights of Brimbank City Council’s draft budget, handed down on Tuesday night at a special council meeting included:
· An extra $125,000 for fuel.
· $500,000 for the local government election.
· An extra 30 per cent, or $462,000, for street lighting.
· $1.4 million (an extra $163,000) for the Metropolitan Fire Brigade (a statutory requirement).
· A $5.5 million increase in revenue from rates — 63.4 per cent of the council’s revenue comes from rates.
· An overall rate increase of 3.92 per cent.
· An operating surplus of $14.1 million.
· Cost shifting absorbed in budget — $7.9 million.
· New capital expenditure $43 million.
