City of Greater Geraldton council vote in mid-year budget review amendments featuring $1.2 million surplus

Greater Geraldton councillors voted through a mid-year budget review on Tuesday, with amendments revealing a significant turnaround and a $1.2 million surplus. The review and amendments were backed without opposition at the full March council meeting, signalling the beginning of budget planning for the 2024-25 financial year. Cr Steve Cooper supported the executive recommendations, with deputy mayor Natasha Colliver seconding the motion and thanking the city’s financial officers for the extensive work they had put in to turn the $888,000 deficit into a surplus. The budget review was presented to council last Tuesday at the agenda forum, showcasing the work the city’s director of corporate services Paul Radalj had finalised in the executive recommendations. “There’s no surprises in what we’re reading, and it’s always difficult to make sure it happens on time,” Cr Colliver said. One of Mr Radalj’s executive recommendations is to adjust expenditure allowances due to increasing contractor costs. The city has budgeted an extra $123,000 in contractor expenses, including Meru landfill, airport security, building maintenance, parks and verge maintenance. “The negative is that we’re going for a cycle over the last 12 to 24 months where we’ve been renewing all our annual supply contracts for goods and services . . . the rates are significantly higher as they previously were,” Mr Radalj said. Mr Radalj said the silver lining was the city making additional interest earnings during the year. “What the positive impact is, because of high interests rates, we’ve been getting better return on our investments,” he said. Cr Peter Fiorenza supported the work. “I thank the officers and directors for being able to record such a turnaround in the budget in such a short amount of time,” he said.