MORE than $3 million of ratepayer money is set to be put aside by council to help people affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
On 30 March Frankston Council endorsed their draft annual budget, which will go out to public consultation before being given final approval. They agreed to put together a coronavirus care package with $3 million from their strategic reserves, and $370,000 reallocated from other projects and programs.
Council CEO Phil Cantillon wrote in the draft budget that “with the financial uncertainty surrounding the impacts of the coronavirus, council proposes to set aside a provision of up to $3 million once-off care package available from the 2020-2021 financial year.”
“Council will be in a better position to determine the needs of the municipality over the coming months and will consider what the priorities are to deliver services and infrastructure for the community,” he wrote. “These funds will be drawn down from council reserves that have been earmarked to deliver major projects in future years. This will not have a short term impact on the delivery of projects that were scheduled to be delivered in the long term infrastructure plan over the next four years.”
Council’s last annual report released at the end of the 2018/2019 financial year showed that council had just under $26 million in their strategic asset reserve.
Councillors also voted “to not apply any penalty interest for the remainder of the rating year which will be further reviewed over the next rating period, to suspend any legal action for the recovery of rates for the remainder of the rating year which will be further reviewed over the next rating period, and for those operators that have closed and seek to resume business within three months after the emergency lockdown is lifted, provide free food registration and kerbside trading fees.” Refunds will be provided for food registrations and kerbside trading fees subsequent to operators closing, and rent will be waived for council commercial tenants until 30 June 2020.
Projects including a mural on the corner of Station Street and Nepean Highway, Seaford, a moon and fairy lighting trial, boulevard tree planting, and electric box beautification had funds reallocated from them into the coronavirus care package. Removing funds from footpath constructions at Spruce St and Mitre Crescent was considered, but councillors vetoed it.
Cr Quinn McCormack advocated for the reallocation of money from other projects. She said the budget had been drafted “without consideration of hardship that the majority of the community are facing with job losses, partners out of work, and the difficulties of managing sick relatives or loved ones.”
“We will do our best to be agile and adjust the budget to address their concerns,” she said.
Cr Glenn Aitken agreed to the passed budget changes, but said “if my ward is targeted again you are going to hear a scream.”