Brighton Community News
By TONY FOSTER
Mayor of Brighton
TASMANIANS are currently being bombarded by a wave of propaganda from the State Government and business groups such as the Property Council, Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other vested interests attempting to persuade them that the proposed takeover of TasWater will benefit the community.
But public be warned. This is a clear case of spin over substance. Continue reading “State Government can’t be trusted to run TasWater”
By TONY FOSTER
I AM pleased to be able to report that Brighton Council will keep its rate rise in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increase for the coming year.
This will mean a rate rise of just $19 for the year for all residential households in the municipality. The Council’s budget and rate rise, approved in principle at the May Council meeting are reported on in this issue of Brighton Community News.
As you can read, it is the 22nd year in succession Council has been able to keep rate rises at or below the annual rate of inflation, but sadly, this commitment is under threat purely by the actions of the State Government and particularly by Treasurer Peter Gutwein. Continue reading “Brighton keeps its fair rates at CPI – Treasurer’s actions threaten Council commitment”
By TONY FOSTER
BRIGHTON Council has an impressive record of transparency and communicating with ratepayers and the local community.
As Mayor, I am proud of this achievement which is recognised throughout Tasmania and beyond. For example, we are one of the few councils in Tasmania that produces a community newspaper and invites local groups to contribute to this monthly publication.
Our Council meetings are open to the public, our people are accessible, and we provide regular reports on the Council’s finances and the full range of Council operations and business.
So, for a Councillor to accuse Council of not being transparent is more than disappointing. It is, in fact, insulting to all other Councillors and to our extremely professional Council management and staff. Continue reading “Council maintains highest standards of integrity, service and transparency”
By TONY FOSTER
THE Parliamentary Joint Select Committee that is currently considering the future of gaming in Tasmania must consider the views of the community in reaching its recommendation.
For too long, too many Tasmanian families have suffered from electronic gaming machines ripping money out of the community. Unfortunately, successive governments are as much addicted to gaming tax revenue as the casino owners are to the profits from pokies in pubs and clubs around the State. Continue reading “Community views must be considered in pokies’ review”
By TONY FOSTER
THE new year 2017 is now more than a month old and it promises to be an important 12 months for the Brighton municipality.
In this issue of Brighton Community News you will read about our progressing of the Brighton Streetscape Project with the Commonwealth funding confirmed and the Council’s preparation for the works to get underway. This will make an important contribution to the Brighton township following its bypassing by the Midland Highway and it will dramatically improve facilities for businesses, the community and people visiting Brighton. Continue reading “The new year promises to be a big year for Brighton”
By TONY FOSTER
Mayor
THERE is certainly a focus on local government at the moment – on its effectiveness and efficiency, the services it provides for ratepayers and the community, and importantly the level of rates and charges it levies to provide those essential services.
This level of public scrutiny should certainly not be a problem for councils. Indeed, all levels of government, be they state, federal or local, must be answerable to the community, to the taxpayers and ratepayers who provide the revenue to pay for the services and sustain the bureaucracies that manage them. Continue reading “Local government serves its community”
By TONY FOSTER
BRIGHTON Council continues to serve our local community, providing the full range of services, efficiently and effectively.
We continue to enjoy the lowest and fairest rates in Tasmania. Our Council is consistently judged as the most efficient in the State and among the most innovative local government bodies in Australia. We are indeed fortunate that both the elected Councillors, and our Council management and staff, share a common aim and that is to provide the best local government service and support for our community. We work together to achieve this objective, with the Councillors providing the leadership and strategic direction and our management and staff responsible for implementing our plans and providing services to the community. Continue reading “Council continues to serve the community”
By TONY FOSTER AM OAM JP
Mayor
THE July general meeting of the Local Government Association of Tasmania supported Brighton’s motion to lobby Parliament to expand the terms of reference of the proposed Joint Select Committee Review into gaming in Tasmania to consider banning electronic gaming machines outside the State’s two casinos. Continue reading “Local government takes a stand on pokies”
By TONY FOSTER
MAYOR
BRIGHTON Council’s budget for the new financial year highlights the efficiency of our administration and the ability of our staff to provide services for other councils, so earning valuable revenue that helps to fund services for ratepayers.
As we’ve already announced, Brighton’s rates this year will rise only by 1.3 percent, the annual increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Hobart. It’s the 20th year in succession that we’ve been able to hold down rates to the equivalent of the increase in the CPI and it’s fair to say that Brighton is the only council in Tasmania, and possibly Australia, able to make such a claim. Continue reading “Brighton’s budget highlight’s Council efficiency”
By TONY FOSTER
MAYOR
LAST month, the Brighton Council considered its budget for the forthcoming financial year and our financial and capital works plan was approved in principle. It will now go to Council for formal approval at the June meeting.
The Budget provides for a rate increase of just 1.3 percent, in line with the annual increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Hobart. This means that the largest rate increase for a residential home in the Brighton Municipality will be $11 a year or 21 cents per week. Continue reading “Efficiency keeps Brighton’s rates down”