Rockhampton Regional Council's fourth budget delivers a responsible low cost rate increase of 3.7% to 51% of the 43,835 residential ratepayers. We estimate that 86% of residential ratepayers will have a dollar increase for General Rate and Road Levy of $100 or less, being less than $2 per week.

We have a heavy commitment and focus on the continued funding of critical infrastructure, and community facilities and services to ensure the community's health and wellbeing is top priority.

I am committed to bringing to fruition high impact industrial land to ensure that our community achieves the best possible result, investment and sustainable jobs from an expanding and growing resource sector.

In 2012, the Community Plan and RRC Planning Scheme will be completed and adopted. Through the extensive community support and involvement the framework for these plans will ensure our actions are in line with community need and expectation while guiding the future growth and development of the Rockhampton Region.

It is extremely pleasing to see that all declared collection areas across the Region will shortly receive a kerbside recycling collection service. We have extended the initial scope and delivered this service Region wide meeting the expectations of our community as promised.

These residents will see an extra charge on their rates of $81 per year, which will bring recycling in line consistently with 100% of urban properties across the Region now receiving this service.

Rate notices will be issued in early August which will include green waste vouchers as promised. All households receiving a rates notice will be provided with six vouchers which will entitle you to the disposal of clean green waste at designated waste management facilities.

While there were many contributing factors that affected this Budget, Councillors have seriously taken into account the impact to ratepayers through bank interest rate rises, electricity increases, cost of living increases, car registration increases, and medical insurance increases. In addition, sewerage, water and drainage subsidies are no longer provided by the State Government and these costs are now absorbed totally within our own budget.

Through a disciplined approach, Council has managed to keep rate increases as low as possible and delivered rate payers with a moderate increase. I make no excuses for those projects left off the Capital Works Program this year. To deliver ratepayers with a moderate rates increase there simply wasn't enough revenue available to allocate funds to each and every desired project.

The substantial damage to critical infrastructure, as a result of our fourth worst flood, was our key focus during budget deliberations and we have taken on board community sentiment of a greater focus on core infrastructure, in particular roads.

I am proud of the work undertaken by Council Officers and Councillors throughout this budget process - it has been no mean feat. I believe the 2011/12 budget delivers key priorities, within a balanced and responsible budget.

Cr Brad Carter
Mayor, Rockhampton Regional Council