Enlightiling Community Insight into Draft Blacktown City Council 2015-2016 Annual Budget - Feed Back Is Required - Have Your Say!

This evening I was invited by the Mayor, Councillor Stephen Bali, to the 'Community Insight' Meeting, to hear and understand how Blacktown City Council receives all income and spends it on expenses: basically on wages and community works programs, maintenance on roads, parks, shares, lighting in parks, cycle ways and paths, recycling and rubbish removal, library and swimming pool services, drainage construction, stormwater management, community facilities and many more.
 
Announced by the Mayor tonight, with the interesting crowd listening attentively, was the increased  budget  to $502M.

As quoted to myself by a Council Officer: 

Mayor Councillor Stephen Bali

"The draft 2015/16 budget is our largest ever budget at $502 million, reflecting the exceptional growth of our City, with record spending on infrastructure renewal for our city’s vital transport and community assets.

Our budget will inform how we are working on building sustainable communities and making sure we deliver quality services expected by our growing community."

For myself to come out with a budget that covers over 332,000 population, would be impossible and I am not qualified.

**Funds outsourced for the 2015-2016 annual budget is as follows:

• $19.4M for recreational and community facilities
• $37.5M for drainage construction and stormwater management
• $38.2M for roads construction and ancillary facilities
• $38.3M Waste Removal and Street Cleaning
• $17.7M Childcare services
• $20.1M Aquatic leisure and recreation services
• $1M       Animal Holding Facility
• $48,000 Youth Ambassadors Program- 12 x $1,500 Tertiary scholarships and six scholarships for students of University ownof Western Sydney
• Assets Renewal (Work In Progress)  reduced from $80M to $50M

**Budget Launch 2015, Community Insight,19 May 2015,    
    Blacktown City Council

*In short summary for 2013/201:

• $359M Revenue
• $441M Expenditure
• $2.9B Infrastructure Assets
• $91M Liabilities
• $3.18B Total Equity

*Take a closer look booklet Blacktown City Council Community 

  Report 2014. 

Various expenses were provide by the Mayor and the General Manager, Kerry Robinson also expanded on these expenses and income with complete description.

Then came guest speaker Richard Denniss, Executive Director of The Australia Institute, giving easy explained understanding and meanings of economics and community.

That was simply when you look in Google Maps from the top of the world you can see communities not economics/budgets - yet there are results of interactions between people of purchasing and selling. The community is important as we can see the community, budgets and the economic processes we cannot see. 

(Left-Right) General Manager, Kerry Robinson, Mayor Councillor Stephen Bali and Richard Denniss 'The Australian Institute'

An interesting point that he raised was in our LGA and population of current 332,000 we do not have a Convention Centre and this is something that attract a lot of businesses, organisations into our area as well as creating jobs.

Now, our community can have 'our say on the Draft 2015/16 Operational Plan and Budget on www.yoursay.blacktown.nsw.gov.au

I do suggest do not be shy and if you want changes with Blacktown LGA, please provide your feedback I already have! 

Click here for previous blog 

Suggestion For Rooty Hill - Australia Day - Fire Works ' Blacktown City Council Video Promotion'

As the highly populated City Council within Australia, we have the best fire works display that I will never walk away from. Also, I'm sure thousands of others would support myself on this.

Whilst we mostly have very high attendances in the vicinity of 30,000-40,000 range, it would be a great opportunity for the Mayor, Councillors of Blacktown City Council, General Manager and Officers of Council to provide a promotional video explaining what has been done in the past year and the plans for the future involving all areas of Council, in summary. Each Councillor could provide a short promotion of the same: what has happened and plans for the future. Support responses could be from community leaders as well.
 
The video being shown on the large screen, means everyone will be able to see it, be captivated by it and find it interesting. It must not be politically one sided or promotion for any political parties. It actually can be used as an educational forum for the entire Blacktown Local Government Area and community. It could be showing local community events/festivals. It could be shown while bands are changing on stage.

I totally understand that if Council agrees to do this, that it may not happen until the 2016 Fire Works. The reason being is, it takes time to plan, approve allocations of funds for video, final production and approval for release at next Australia Day Fire Works event.  At least, they can all make a start to it, if they like the idea!


This could be played at the Australia Day Fire Works, at 'The Rooty Hill', Rooty Hill, at each yearly event and afterwards, uploaded on youtube.com.au

It can reflect on past yearly fire works and on other videos that Blacktown City Council have uploaded on youtube.com.au already. Here are a few examples:

Click here for what is Brookes Secret?

Click here for Greener Living Expoir

The sustainable kitchen cooking school

A day at the farm - demonstration 'city farm' in Seven Hills

Community Gardens: come and grow with us!

Bushcare in Blacktown City

Sustainable Living Blacktown

Official Dedication of the Pou Pou (Ceremonial Gateway) at Nurragingy Reserve

2014 Fire Works - Rooty Hill - uploaded by myself 

This also would be great for the people of Mount Druitt to see and understand, as part of the Blacktown Local Government Area. We can all see 'Our Mount Druitt' and 'whyilovemountdruitt'!

Luxford Road Mount Druitt Phase Crossing - Being Considered By NSW RMS - General Manager, Blacktown City Council

Councillor Jacqueline Donaldson  (Ward 5), Blacktown City Council has been making enquiries from these published blogs regarding  the pedestrian phase way, on the Eastern side of Luxford Road, North Mount Druitt ( Exit entrance of Westfield Mount Druitt). "The ball is in the court of NSW RMS' to decide on the safety of the area for the community.

I'm sure that we'll also now get support from Ward 4 Councillors, Mayor Stephen Bali, Edmond Atalla and Isabelle White. Thanks to the General Manager, Kerry Robinson keeping the community up-to-date as this is an important part of the process, win lose or fail. If it fails, I will immediately commence a petition for the pedestrian phase way, to be submitted to Blacktown Council.

The reason why I feel that the support will come from the Mayor,  Stephen Bali is he is fought for the local pool to be re-opened, lives in Ward 4 and seems to be compassionate of the community having improvements or retainings essentials services and lives in Ward 4. 

The reason why I think Councillor Edmond Atalla, will support this is he has fight at least twice in the last 12 years or so for retaining Mount Druitt Hospital services, Mount Druitt Pool and i.s a strong contender to be elected Mount Druitt State Member and  also lives in Ward 4.

The reason why I think Councillor Isabella White will support this is because, she is young, learning how the community needs improvements, and listens to the community's needs, also lives in Ward 4.

Click here for Letter From General Manager, Blacktown City Council

Click here regarding previous blog