Chronicle Editor
Senior Business Reporter
THE City of Bulawayo has released a schedule to guide the traditional yearly budget consultation process set to begin on Monday.
This year, the Government approved the local authority’s $23,8 billion budget, which increased rates.
In a notice, town clerk, Mr Christopher Dube, said the ward meetings will be facilitated by respective ward councillors.
“The aim of the consultation meetings is to present the 2023 budget,” said Mr Dube.
According to the schedule, meetings would be held at various community halls, schools, and municipal sports grounds and at the Large and small city hall.
Apart from ward meetings, specific sector consultations that include women, youths, transport operators, informal traders, business community, media, church and civil society organisations are planned.
The indexing of rates in foreign currency, new parking system, the multimillion-dollar Egodini Mall project and deteriorating service delivery such as erratic collection of refuse are likely to dominate the meetings
In June, the council pulled a shocker on residents when it announced that tariffs will be charged in foreign currency against the official rate. Despite residents’ protests the council went ahead to index the rates on foreign currency with rate payers saying they were not consulted.
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derick.khumalo