Community Feedback Leads Changes to Operational Plan and Budget

For seven weeks a draft of the 202324 Operational Plan and Budget was on public exhibition, with Council inviting the community to provide feedback. 

Council received 19 submissions during the public exhibition period covering a range of topics, most notably: 

Inflation and increased cost of living. Rates increases, particularly in relation to Farmland. Waste management charges. Transition to electric fleet. Retail Price Index (RPI). Linked trail for walking, mountain biking and adaptive use project.

The increased cost of living on Norfolk Island and inflationary pressures were a common theme with suggestions for more economic analysis be undertaken to determine the community’s capacity to pay, along with more community consultation. 

Waste management charges, particularly to Farmland, were raised noting the lower waste generation outcome for this category compared to other categories due to the dominant land use being cattle grazing. 

The methodology that Council uses to derive the Retail Price Index and to determine rating increases was raised, and that electricity fees on the Island should not be increased, with subsidies provided instead. The rollout of the solar network in 2023-2024 will bring the electricity tariffs down to more acceptable levels.

A suggestion for an updated Economic Development Implementation Plan and the Heritage and Culture Strategy was made, along with queries concerning the Kingston Cattle Management project. 

Following this feedback changes were made to the operating budget, the capital budget, and fees and charges. Changes to the operating budget were inclusion of Broadcasting Services operating costs of $103k, transferring the $124k Kingston Cattle Management Capital Project to the Operational Budget, and increasing interest revenue to reflect changes in interest rates and growth in cash holdings.

The capital budget was changed to include the $7.35 million Commonwealth funded Telecom Satellite uplift, and a reduction in funding from $2.5million to $50,000 for the Multi Use Trail.