adminThupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
BEITBRIDGE Town Council has adopted a $6, 1 million budget for 2017 that will see rates remaining unchanged.
Presenting the budget statement during a full council meeting on Monday evening, Finance and Audit Committee chairperson, Councillor Sarudzai Moyo, said a large chunk of the budget would be used on capital expenditure.
She said they were anticipating an income of $6, 1 86, 616 and a total expenditure of $6, 178,687.
Cllr Moyo said they were worried that their revenue collection rate was low at 40 percent.
“It is sad that our collection rate stands at 40 percent at a time when we are expected to deliver world class services. We want to urge residents and all those who owe us to pay up their bills so that we can run a very vibrant and viable council,” she said.
Cllr Moyo said they had since engaged lawyers to try and recover money they were owed.
She said part of the money in next year’s budget would be channelled towards major projects including construction of a new bus terminus and a laboratory at Vhembe High School, procurement of earth moving equipment, construction of a council workshop and setting up of modern flea market stalls.
Other proposed projects are the upgrading of Dulibadzimu Stadium, setting up a satellite clinic in the Garikayi area, public lighting, putting up prepaid water meters, road maintenance works among others.
“The capital expenditure is $1,436, 818 which is 23 percent of the total expenditure, while our recurrent expenditure is $4, 741, 869. This includes staff salaries of $1,832,080 and that constitutes 30 percent of our total expenditure,” said Cllr Moyo.
Speaking during the same meeting, town secretary Mr Loud Ramakgapola said they had since written to Government seeking authority to take over the running of water affairs from the Zimbabwe national Water Authority.
He said the move would go a long way in addressing the town’s perennial water woes.
“We have written to our parent ministry requesting that we be allowed to run our water affairs, a task which is currently being carried out by Zinwa.
“You will note that Zinwa says we owe them $12 million accruing from September 2014 and this has affected water supplies to the town. In some cases they bill us for the water which is being lost before getting to us and the households,” Mr Ramakgapola said.
He said the local authority was owed a total of $9 million by residents in unpaid water bills.
Online Reporter