It has been labelled as "miserable", but Shoalhaven Council's budget has been put on display for 28 days so the public can comment.
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Shoalhaven Mayor Amanda Findley described the draft delivery plan and operation plan "one of the most miserable budgets that's ever been put out into the community".
It was miserable because "It doesn't meet community expectations around maintenance," she said.
"Our expectations have to be in line with the fact that we don't have a rate rise to meet all of the objectives of all parts of the community."
There seems to be this strange idea that local government seems to be the only body that can't put up its fees through its rates to meet the needs of its community.
The budget includes a rate rise of 4.5 per cent in line with the State Government's rate peg.
When the budget was discussed at the council meeting on Monday, May 6, Cr Tonia Gray warned that meant the would not be enough money to maintain community infrastructure.
"I want to make it abundantly clear that it's one year of austerity that we're looking at, but from here on in we are all looking at a rate rise of some form," she said.
Cr John Wells agreed it was "an austerity budget that will require great discipline by council".
The term "austerity budget: was also used by Cr Evan Christen.
He said it revealed "parlous state of council's finances", and looking at it caused "with great sadness and concern".
Cr Christen expressed concern that land sales were not being used to pay down debt, but instead were being used "to keep council afloat, basically, which is not a position anyone would want to be in".
Council's budget for 2024-25 provides for $472.6 million of capital works and essential community services as outlined in the draft Delivery Program and Operational Plan.
"This proposed budget intends to take some of the significant steps necessary to address financial sustainability of the services and infrastructure council provides and reduce the gap between operating expenditure and revenue, which is a challenge for us and so many other councils across the country," said CEO Robyn Stevens.
It allocates $111.4 million to capital expenditure, including $38.95 million for roads, bridges and transport, $12.4 million for buildings and property and $10 million for waste and recycling separation and education facilities.
More than $1.6 million is allocated to waterways infrastructure and $1.3 million to open space, sport and recreation facility infrastructure.
Shoalhaven Water has assigned $34.6 million for capital works to a range of projects, including $5.6 million for the South Nowra Surcharge Main project, $4.3 million to replace water mains and $2.1 million to upgrade the sewer pumping station for Huskisson and Vincentia.
"During the last six months, we have paused more than 80 capital works projects and funding of programs to reduce the forecast structural deficit identified in the independent Financial Sustainability Report," Ms Stevens said.
"We have been driving efficiency measures to reduce expenditure by reviewing internal processes and assessing vacant positions for potential savings.
"This budget reinforces the fact that there is not enough money to address the backlog of maintenance needed for our roads and buildings without a sustained increase to revenue," she said.
"The condition of our city's assets will continue to degrade and cost even more to repair or replace in the future if we don't increase income soon," she said.
Along with the 4.5 per cent rate peg increase, the draft budget also includes a 7.9 per cent increase to the domestic waste charge, from $468 (2023-24) to $505 (2024-25) for a 120L bin.
Council has reviewed its fees and charges to better reflect the cost price for the provision of services and utilities.
While many have remained the same, some fees and charges have been increased to cover costs.
The review of fees and charges is in line with the independent advice council received in November 2023 when it undertook the Financial Sustainability Review.
Some of the changes include increases to hall hire fees, aquatics centre and recreation facility charges and some administrative fees.
Shoalhaven Water has reviewed its fees to meet the costs of providing water and sewer services and has proposed increasing water charges from $2 to $2.50 per kilolitre, and sewer charges by an additional $72 per year.
The projected cost for the average residential water customer would be an additional $206.50 per year.
