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Yeukai Karengezeka Herald Correspondent
Government, through the Ministry of Local Government, Public works and National Housing, has approved Chitungwiza Municipality’s 2019 budget of $51,15 million, an official has said. Town Clerk Dr George Makunde said this while addressing councillors during a full council meeting held on Thursday at the head office chambers.
Dr Makunde also told the councillors that the ministry had given some financial advice to the council.
“Minister July Moyo noted that our collection efficiency has to be improved and in terms of submitting our audits, we are lagging behind but by June we should be up to date,” he said.
He added: “In terms of statutory obligation arrears, we need to improve. We must prioritise our financial commitments and get council to apply more of ICT to reduce leakages and this will be tabled before a finance committee.”
The 2019 budget was increased from $28,3 million due to a large number of homes that council expects to regularise this year.
F inance director Mrs Evangelista Machona said the budget increase did not affect tariffs.
“We are to maintain our tariffs at the same levels. However, our budget has increased from $28,3 million to $51,15 million because we have intensified revenue collection from both the formal and informal sources,” she said.
Mrs Machona said they increased the regularisation fee from $1 000 to $2 250 and they are targeting to regularise at least 7 500 properties.
“We decided to increase the penalty for illegal settlers from $1 000 to $2 250 because these people were enjoying council services for free,” she said.
Council also expected to receive a total grant of $7,2 million, of which $1,88 million was coming from the Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP), $3,3 million from the 5 percent constitutional provision grant for sewage works and $2 million from the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) for roads.
The budget was aimed at enhancing service delivery.
“We have moved away from line budgeting to programme-based budgeting using Performance Improved Plans (PIPs) in line with the parent ministry’s thrust to ensure resources are channelled towards programmes that enhance service delivery,” said Mrs Machona.
She said current water charges were subject to change, given that they are largely dependent on the tariff regime of the supplying water authority, the City of Harare.
Online Reporter