Council slammed over proposed budget

In October, BCC unveiled a $122 million budget for next year, which will see water, sewerage and refuse removal charges as well as property tax going up.
NANGO western region board secretary Mr Anglistone Sibanda in his submission paper to BCC last week, blasted the local authority for not being pro-poor.
He said the budget did not address the pertinent issues affecting the residents.

“The residents feel that the budget is not addressing the housing challenges. Housing is a right and the council budget should have adequate allocations for housing development,” said Mr Sibanda.
He said this would help curb the ever increasing need for housing backlog.
“The property tax is going to increase rentals thereby worsening the plight of those without houses. These people will as a result not be able to save to buy their own houses,” he said.

Mr Sibanda said the local authority should do away with the tendency of breeding lodgers in the city.
“The city fathers should avoid leaving a legacy of tenants in the city,” said Mr Sibanda.
He said the budget did not address the effects of de-industrilisation of Bulawayo, but “continues to charge heavily the informal traders. The fees for licensing informal traders are prohibitive.”

Mr Sibanda said the budget should address economic recovery by promoting and formalising the informal sector.
He also challenged city council to be innovative and come up with strategies of raising revenue.

He also complained that BCC only consulted residents for budget formulation yet there was no mechanism for the residents to review the budget.
“The residents recommend that the city council  should come up with a mechanism that will allow its residents to review the budget either quarterly, half yearly or annually,” he said.

Mr Sibanda said the copies of the budget were not easily accessible to residents and called on the City Fathers to consider making the copies available at housing offices. 
In response, city council financial director Mr Kimpton Ndimande said council will consider the issues raised by residents.