The changes will be considered by councillors at a budget setting meeting on Thursday.
They include dropping a proposal to save more than $3 million by increasing the use of weedkillers containing glyphosate, providing a one-off $500,000 boost to the Strengthening Communities Fund to help support community organisations affected by the Covid-19 crisis, and making a further $4.5 million available for more road sealing work over the next 12 months to help address concerns about the condition of the city’s roads.
"More than 1000 groups and individuals made submissions on our revised 2020-21 draft Annual Plan and, after considering the feedback, the mayor will be presenting recommendations for further budget changes," said council chief executive Dawn Baxendale.
"The changes reflect the priorities of our communities that were expressed both in the submissions that we received when we consulted on our original 2020-21 draft Annual Plan and in the submissions that we received on the Updated Draft Annual Plan."
But after the lockdown, it issued an updated draft Annual Plan that took into account the significant impact the pandemic has had on the council’s finances and the changed social and economic conditions.
The updated draft Annual Plan included an overall average rates increase of 3.5 per cent.
Baxendale said a rates increase of that level would equate to an extra 95 cents a week for the owner of an average-value house worth $508,608, or an extra $49.25 a year.
She said the proposed rate increase remains the same, even with the changes being recommended,
"Growth in the rating base and higher than expected dividends from Transwaste have allowed us to off-set some of the impacts of the changes that have been included as a result of the feedback from the community."
The mayor will be recommending council proceed with a proposal to charge an excess water use targeted rate for households that use significantly more water than the average household. Feedback from submitters showed a majority of people favoured the move.
It is also recommended council continue to provide rates relief to residents and businesses experiencing financial hardship as a result of the Covid-19 crisis and a residents’ forum is set up so council can engage more actively with the community on issues of city-wide importance, including the Long Term Plan.
The budget meeting on Thursday will be held at the council chamber at 9.30am. It will be open to the public and live-streamed.
