KINGSTON Council recorded a surplus of more than $32 million in the last financial year.
Kingston Council has released its annual report for the 2022/2023 financial year. The report revealed that council posted an operating surplus of $32.7 million.
Council spent more than $244.6 million in 2022/2023. Around $65 million was spent on infrastructure projects.
In his message within the report, Kingston Council CEO Peter Bean said that council “has a strong track record of sound financial management.”
“In 2022/23, council achieved an operating surplus of approximately $32.7 million. That high standard remains the backdrop of our ongoing investment in community-improving facilities and services,” he said. “In 2022–23, we invested $65 million in capital works to improve, maintain and renew our significant portfolio of community assets. Sports ground and pavilion improvements, shopping centre rejuvenation, major drainage upgrades, thousands of square metres of local road reconstruction, public art projects, ongoing planning for a wonderful new Aquatic and Leisure Centre, and much, much more has been achieved.”
Despite the large surplus, rates in the Kingston municipality are increasing. Council’s final budget for the 2023/2024 financial year contained a 4.49 percent increase to general rates. Overall rates and charges will increase by an average of 3.5 per cent, the maximum allowed under the state government’s rate cap (“Rate rise despite ‘financial stress’” The News 5/7/23).
The annual report also revealed how much Kingston councillors are billing ratepayers for their spending. It outlines expenses claimed by councillors in addition to their annual allowance.
Seven councillors each billed ratepayers in excess of $1000 in the 2022/2023 financial year.
The mayor Hadi Saab and councillor Steve Staikos, who was mayor at the beginning of the financial year, claimed more than any other councillors. They both spent more than $3000 each on interstate travel in the 2022/2023 financial year. In total Staikos claimed around $5450 and Saab claimed around $4975.
Councillor Jenna Davey-Burns spent more than $4400 and Chris Hill spent just over $4000. Tracey Davies claimed $2906, Tamsin Bearsley claimed $2609, George Hua spent $1379, and Tim Cochrane spent $1061. Councillor David Eden claimed the lowest total expenses, around $315.
A pay rise for councillors came into effect in December 2022. Now the mayor is paid $124,469, the deputy mayor $62,235, and other councillors $37,565.
The report revealed that Kingston Council’s highest member of senior management received remuneration between $390,000 and $399,999.
The annual report also revealed that council’s decisions are being upheld on appeal much more frequently. The Victorian Administrative and Civil Tribunal upheld 58 percent of council’s decisions in 2022/2023. In the year prior it upheld just 48 percent.
“During 2022/23, there was a significant improvement in the number of planning decisions upheld at VCAT compared to the previous year. Furthermore, a number of items were resolved at VCAT through consent or at mediation. Although these are still reflected as decisions ‘not upheld’, council considers this a good outcome as all parties reached agreement through mediation. This result remains within the range expected by council,” the report read.
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 25 October 2023
