Council of the City of Gold Coast Special Budget Committee, 11 Jun 2023

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From YouTube: City of Gold Coast Special Council (Budget Adoption) - 12 June 2023

Description

00:00 Meeting Commences, Prayer, National Anthem
03:32 Attendance/Apologies, Leave of Absence, COI,
03:52 4.1 Mayor’s 2023-24 Budget Presentation
21:35 Items 4.2 Adoption of 2023-24 Budget Adoption 4.3, 4.5, 4.6, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9, 4.10, 4.11, 4.12, 4.13, 4.14, 4.15, 4.16, 4.17, 4.18, 4.19, 4.20, 4.21, 4.22, 4.23, 4.24, 4.25, 4.26

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Where I recognize as a quorum, so therefore I call this special uh council meeting to order.

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As per our tradition now, I'll start with opening prayer.

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Heavenly Father grant that we who would seek to serve. You may have the wisdom of your spirit, The Guiding of your hand and the grace to serve together for the prosperity of our city through Jesus Christ, Our, Lord amen, let's be standing up for our national anthem.

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Thank you, please be seated.

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We ask for this the faster one next Mr C, if you could just fix that by next spot, Mr CF, you just fix up our next budget, I'd appreciate it thanks.

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Anyway, remember.

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Well, councilors I can assure you we can only get better.

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uh Council is um first item attendance and policies everyone's here, so we go to leave at absence. Neil item three conflicts of interest, this being a budget they're all ordinary business, so I believe there's no conflict of interest, correct um counselors, on item 4.1, mayor's budget presentation.

A

I've got a couple of words there and then, um and then we'll keep keep the budget process moving council is it 11 years it's mayor and chair of budget special committee I, look at this budget. I I'd look at it. That is probably the most complex budget to show for our community.

A

The budget is a contrasting one and that to me back in the days in 2012, we all agreed that when we look at our budget, one is that we look at value for money and the second one was that we will keep a rate increase at all below CPI and from there on I I. Believe that we're on the same page, that that wasn't negotiable, we're going after it and uh we're now new CEO came on board uh I said: look all the officers, no directors.

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um We start that I know it's going to be higher living costs and uh and the like, and but um you know, typical questions will be asked. How much is a cup of coffee and all that we just went nah? Don't worry about any of that? Let's get our budget as low as possible and at the same time, keeping the front line services um pristine. So there's no cutback on that as well and and before we before I. Forget I.

A

Just want to put to you that um our city budget survey had a reply of over 6 000 people record number and I know some of you did your own local divisional uh survey consultation as as you would do, and you can even mimic uh in line of what local community in divisional level to the whole city budget consultation process was really in sync, and that is people want the road Network improve people want Public, Safety, CCTV cameras, uh people, people cherish our past 2 300 of them, and that uh and uh and also our natural environment and uh I mean even some says.

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You know, look after koalas and transport improvements and even though summer transport Improvement in the Gambit of the state government when you refer to state roads.

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But we have a role to play that if they're fixing the state roads we've got to fix our roads at the same time, so there's only one one pain to go through and to keep up a matter of fact. We've done more more than just that. So in this budget it's going to be a record spend of 777 million dollars uh to invest in capital expenditure in this financial year at times where materials and labor costs are hard to get. But our directors has ensured us that they can deliver that and so in.

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In summary, I'd like to present to you a team effort on a short presentation. Could you please roll the video.

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And recorder population growth like.

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Home or small businesses, Council costs also significantly.

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Despite these challenges, we've remain committed to delivering high quality services to all iPads over the past 11 years.

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This year we received a great gold response to our community survey for more than 6 000 residents, and thank you so much- and we have listened this year, I'm sitting by doing well. It invested in Wolverine, open space projects. It improve our transport, Network and City parking facility and provide better Waste Management Services, put in the work in today or to projects like pretty hard to deliver.

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For the lifestyle we continue to plant these seats today to deliver for the whole of the city for years could come.

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The Gulf Coast is growing fast, as more people discover our amazing lifestyle City through our annual budget survey residents and businesses make it clear that protecting our lifestyle was one of the top priorities. To achieve this, we will build new community assets, attract new major events in the city, expand our cycle ways and improve our fantastic parts and playgrounds.

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Importantly, the 2023-24 city budget will commit significant accounts towards the city's public transport we'd like to encourage people out of their cars and into alternative modes of transport.

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For the past 11 years, we've ensured any right license.

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We've analyzed every area of the council's operation. Fine savings improve our services in a part-wise. Our fight fiscal management over the past 11 years has put us in a position to deliver. The service rate pays to expect. We've been tightened our well and it's continued to pay down debt, meaning we can assist. Small businesses continue to grow, deploy more likely to broadening our economy.

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Parking transport improvements, traffic management and safety when it comes to transport. Our Council has invested in record funds over the past three budgets to improve growth, intersections Bridges and our Academic Program. We've listened and 23 24. We are increasing our focus on public transport, with investment in.

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The FedEx service, new bus routes across the North, Creek seniors and Veterans travel and far more cycleways City parking remain in focus and we are improving our parking options with more base and harder than to keep traffic flowing through our.

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Businesses and our tourism process delivering a budget for All, is about listening and responding to our main ingredients.

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Lifestyle each year we welcome around 13 million visitors to come to explore our features, nature, trailers and theme parks. This year's Community budget survey identified Public Safety as a key priority, we're responding with our new 24 million disaster management and Recovery Center, now operational, helping people in time to crisis. This.

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Budget is set aside, funding for more CCTV as well as.

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Improvement as to straighten the pipe lighting right across the Gold Coast for services on the ground and on the beaches, this.

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Budget provides record funding for our lifeguard Services as.

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Well, as funding for more resources,.

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In animal management, it's important to deliver for all and we're doing just that. We.

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Have more than 2 300 Parks across the coast, each.

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Time special Appeals.

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Protecting the green behind the goal was a key outcome of our recent Community budget survey. This budget will invest more funds towards purchasing land for wildlife corridors, whilst also eradicating weeds, not just pests and expanding our brains. Footprints. Further work is now getting underway on projects like the greenhouse.

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The green Hub when completed over the next decade will become one of the best nature-based Recreation areas in Australia.

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In the city and through the 23-24 city budget, we're.

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Warning in the economy.

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Arts and culture, film, industry, air budgeting, Marine sector and the emerging health and knowledge. The 2032 Olympics Olympics will present an enormous Legacy opportunities for the coast. Legacy Starts Now, with Council investing in a dynamic new entity to matamata City's exposure on a global scale, experienced gold. Coastal position in our city is a place to live study and invest and visit, while saving rate players.

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More than seven million in his 2023-24 expect to see more major events and festivals on the coast and it's outside to shine and we're ready to host the biggest and best events on Earth, and that is an exciting time to live and invest on with us.

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This population charges towards one million people we are making substantial changes as well. Wasting Water, Services working with residence and business to improve our recycling outcomes is budget. You tell us your satisfied with how we're collecting waste across the city and we're determined to maintain this high standards. The 2324 budget will invest heavily in used recycling, progress and services, including the city-wide green bin rollout. We have found millions of dollars in savings by consolidating.

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How we collect and treat our waste.

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These savings have been reinvested into paying down debt and into education programs to ensure.

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The challenges of the growing.

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City when it comes.

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To waste and the environment.

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Clear Direction and reliability.

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Like to thank our account, ERS our CO2 Baker directors and all the city officers for their target, staffers working on this budget in the coming years, the six people left today will continue to crush insurance and phosphorus sustainable, fiber and exciting video from the Gold Coast.

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Ers and those who are streaming in today to watch the today's budget delivery. You know now that our budget is a increase of 5.5 percent comparison to the official CPI of 7.42 percent.

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That's two percentage Point uh below and I would say that this achievement believe when you look at the other major councils in Queensland, this will be one of the lowest increased and we have achieved this through strong fiscal discipline, not only in this year but the last decade paying down debt, reforming the organization, finding saving and efficiencies and managing our affairs with the utmost respect for our rate payers.

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That's why we have delivered a budget for All I want to put on record our council's appreciation of the way our CEO Tim Baker and his executive and the teams right through the budgeting process. You would agree, it was thorough and all the questions that we had the answer was forthcoming.

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It would be one of the smoothest Corporation between the administration wing and the elected Wing in delivering this budget. So with that, Tim I put that on that record for you and your team and and all the people who are streaming in in the organization well done and uh and I acknowledge all the city employees, whether they're Frontline, City cleaners or customer service officers, lifeguards librarian, you know you're wearing the uh city of the Gold Coast team and um well done to you and thank you so much.

A

I now defer to our deputy mayor to say a few words with our beautiful hairdos.

L

Thank you very much. Mr Mayor uh well, firstly, on behalf of all councilors today, can I express our thanks to you, Mr Mayor, for overseeing the budget process.

L

It went very smoothly this year and also it's the very first budget delivered under our new CEO Tim Baker and, of course, Jackie, Frost and I think we all agree that it has been a much more consultative process in terms of our initial contact through you and your team Jackie under the guidance of Alicia Swain, and it's been probably a smoother process than we've ever experienced before and yet a 2.2 billion dollar budget, our biggest ever.

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We have, as you mentioned, Mr Mayor consulted, both individually and as a city um as a whole, and we've continued to try very hard to diversify the economy and preserve and protect our green spaces as you've already highlighted. So we've remained focused despite the difficulties. We do appreciate that everyone is doing it tough and our main object has been to keep rates below CPI this year and we've managed to do that.

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So I'd simply like to congratulate everyone involved in the process this year, recognize that we do have challenges and opportunities ahead of us in the lead up to 2032 and just to reiterate that we care about our communities and the incredible work they do and that we were all really pleased Mr Mayor, to support your Initiative for the doubling of our contribution this year from one million dollars to two million dollars for Community groups, which are the backbone of our individual communities in taking care of community in difficult times. Thank you. Okay, all right.

A

Thank you all right uh councils. um That ends my presentation, just a short notion that the mayor mayor's presentation for the 2023-24 budget be welcome and receive and move that second to councilor Gates. Anyone wish to speak against that. Put the motion to you all in favor show hands against motion carry unanimous Council. We now got um 26 motions to do and um that's going to go through a study, uh steady pace.

A

What's the rush, we've done all the hard work, let's enjoy it. 4.2 adoption of the budget, councilors I moved for adoption, and the motion is on the screen. I see cancer Gates happy to second day the budget adoption as it rolls through, so that you can always replay um the the streaming. That's recorded and read every single word of it. That's what transparency is all about. Counselors anyone wish to speak against. The motion.

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Put the motion to you all in favor show hands against motion carry unanimous budget is now adopted, and now we have rated rating resolution differential rates, different General rates, open space, Recreation, City, Transport and a whole lot of stuff. So um we'll go to page 140.

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144 am I right, 144, 3, okay and over the page, 144 there's a motion there and Council Peter Young you're happy to second that motion. Okay council is uh as we go through. Anyone speak against put motion to you all in face your hands against motion carried 4.4.

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Different differential General rates uh moved secondary, councilor Hamel, and the motion is on the screen. As you scroll through there's only um I, don't know 145 Pages, something like that. So if you're a quick reader I'll, let let it scroll right through so that before we vote on this motion, that's on the screen.

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That's okay: let's I mean you know the speed readers out there.

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Just to explain to people streaming in uh this is uh state legal requirement that we do this separately, not as one adoption which is um I guess can be improved. However,.

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Okay councilors: um does anyone want to speak against any part of that motion? Put the motion to your own fashion, our hands against carry unanimous.

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We go to page 256 counselors. This is different differential General rates. It went so fast who, second, that one.

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uh Council corwell, thank you, put the motion to you or in face your hands against motion, carry unanimous open space.

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Who doesn't like open space thanks right who's? Second night uh councilor, Aaron Jones,.

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Okay, you can speak to me and speaker Cairns, put motion to you all in face your hands against Carrie unanimous, any concerns. Anyone concerned too fast, too slow, all good 4.7, Council Castro, you ready to second. Thank you motion on the screen. All in face your hands against Carrie unanimous. We now go 4.8.

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Council Pauline Young put the motion to you all in face your hands against carried unanimous volunteer firefighters, fire brigade, separate charges, Council gate secondary, put the motion to you all in favor show our hands against motion carried Griffith Street, coolangatta local Center I reckon Council. O'neill will be second Matt.

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It's on the screen, all in Photoshop hands against Carrie, unanimous 411, water utility charges.

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Secondary councilor, O'neill, put the motion tip all in face, show our hands against carried unanimous sewage utility charges. Councilor. Now, second motion on the screen put the motion to you all in face your hands against Carrie, unanimous.

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Sewage tradeways utility charges, I move secondary, Council O'neill.

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Still scrolling there.

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Put the motion to all in face our hands against motion: carry it unanimous. We go to waste management, your utility charges, cancer, O'neil secondary.

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Motion on the screen put the motion to you all in favor show of hands against carry unanimous.

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We go to 4.15.

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The motion is on page 340, move that second to Castle O'neal motion on the screen. All info show hands against motion, carry unanimous rates and charges Levy and payment 4.16.

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4.16 Council guide secondary, put the motion to you. All in favor show hands against Carrie, unanimous discounts on rates and charges. 417.

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no secondary Council McDonnell. Put the motion to you all in face your hands: a kiss, carry unanimous.

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That's a w unanimous research.

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Right all right: the interest on over the rates and charges move myself, counselors Caldwell seconder motion on the screen. All in favor show hands against carried unanimous rate concession General move. Second, to cancel. Patterson. Put the motion to you. It's on the screen all in face your hands against motion carried I reckon life after Merrell tea I can be an auctioneer.

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420 rates, concession, pensioner, right rebate, homeowners, I, move that Council owned Jones secondary, put the motion to you all in favor show hands against motion, carry unanimous red concession, pensions rate rebate, non-home owners moves secondary, Council Patterson, put the motion to you. It's on the screen. All in Fair show hands against carry unanimous 4.22.

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Is Red's concession rebate donations put the motion to you all in face show hands against Carrie, unanimous 4.23 rate concession, deferral of rates, payment, I, moved second to council. Patterson put the motion to you all in Fair show of hands against Carrie, unanimous rate concession rebates, volunteer conservation agreements moved by myself. Second to council, McDonald put the motion to you. All in favor show hands against carry it unanimous right: concession payment of rates by installments move secondary cancer. Owen Jones put the motion to you. All in favor show hands against carrier you're, unanimous.

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Great concession, green Organics collection, service, rebate, I, moved second to Casa. O'neil put the motion to you all in favor. Show hands against motion carry unanimous.

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Winter is coming.

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Just checking if we missed anything, you know.

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All good Mr Co, you want to say a few words you.

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Of the I wanted to thank Jackie and the finance team for that outstanding job. They have done, and I'd also like to thank the councilors and yourself for the collaborative way in which we're able to produce this budget.

A

Sweet well counselors. This one is a budget for All, so um hard work's done now we delivered this budget over the 12 months, we're going to make sure it stays within our parameters, we're all set as there's no other thing. The.