THE next Community Garage Sale Trail and Sustainable Living Expo events will be cancelled and tourism marketing programs will be reduced as Bathurst Regional Council seeks to repair its finances after having a supersized rates rise rejected by the community.
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Following council's shock decision on Monday to cancel the New Year's Eve Party in the Park - which led to local businesses stepping in to fill the breach and ensure it will end up going ahead - council has offered new details about how it will get its budget back in order.
In a statement on Friday afternoon headed "Pathway to sustainability", council nominated projects and services that it says will be affected in the current financial year.
It follows council's announcement in August that it would be seeking a permanent special rate variation "to adequately fund its current services and infrastructure needs" due to stress being placed on its budget and councillors' majority decision in late September not to go ahead with the special rate variation after a backlash from the community.
That backlash included an angry rally in Kings Parade in early September.
In its Friday afternoon statement, council said it has "now mapped out a pathway to sustainability, taking into account how council operates, the environment in which council operates, the needs of our community and our financial position".
Mayor Jess Jennings said council will need to consider making savings and therefore reviewing and cutting services and initiatives across all areas of council.
"A report going to the council meeting on Wednesday, December 13 will outline some of the items that are affected in the name of necessary budget repair in the short term," he said.
According to council, some of the projects and services to be affected for the current financial year are:
- Wellington Street, Eglinton road reconstruction will not be completed and will be listed for the future budget.
- Reduction in paved footpath and cycleway maintenance (significant upgrades and renewals of council's footpaths have occurred via funding provided by the Federal Government's Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program, including more than $1 million for works around the CBD and surrounding areas).
- Renewal of Bathampton Road will not be completed and will be listed for the future budget.
- Cancellation of New Year's Eve Party in the Park.
- Cancellation of Community Garage Sale Trail.
- Reduced funding for Inland Sea of Sound Festival.
- Reduction in print and newspaper advertising expenditures and subscriptions.
- Reduction in tourism marketing programs.
- Deferral of the Hill End residency program until 2024/25.
- Cancellation of Environmental Sustainable Schools Program.
- Cancellation of Environmental Education Program for this year.
- Cancellation of Sustainable Living Expo.
- Reduced Heritage Education Program for this year.
Council's statement said council "will continue to report regularly to the community on progress being made to enhance council's sustainability" and more information is available at YourSay Bathurst.
The Sustainable Living Expo has, in the past, attracted guests including the ABC's Craig Reucassel and TV chef "Fast Ed" Halmagyi.
The expo was cancelled in 2022 when council was struggling with the financial burden caused by COVID-19, but returned in March this year.
