Rates up as work begins on projects

The Harvey Shire Council voted to adopt the 2019/20 budget last Tuesday, paving the way for works and planning to begin on numerous initiatives across the shire.

“A number of projects are being delivered and others will begin the planning stage in this new financial year,” shire president Tania Jackson said.

“The Yarloop Community Centre will be complete by September, and the planning and design on the Yarloop Workshops is now going ahead.”

Another major project set to get under way is work on the Harvey Civic Precinct, which Cr Jackson said had not received focus for several years due to the priority on fire recovery following the 2016 Waroona-Yarloop bushfires.

Previous budgets had included consultation with community groups on how well facilities were being used and this process would now be revisited as work on the precinct progressed for the 2019/20 and 2020/21 financial years.

Also due to start in the coming months is the installation of a new toilet block at the Ridley Place park in Australind as part of the next stage of the Ridley Place Foreshore Master Plan project.

Cr Jackson said the delivery of these and other projects meant a rise of 3.5 per cent on general rates.

The increase has set the minimum rates amount at $1080 per property.

Other major projects in the budget include funding towards the construction of the Yarloop Community Centre, the Volunteer Bush Fire Brigade station in Binningup, the State Emergency Services Centre in Australind, the Harvey Sporting Pavilion and the next stage of the Brunswick River Cottages precinct.

Shire chief executive Annie Riordan said the increase and 2019/20 shire budget had been formulated in a subdued economic climate with tight fiscal constraints impacting all three tiers of government.

“Many significant infrastructure projects have been included, which reflect the needs of our growing population and the many communities in our shire,” Ms Riordan said.