Chronicle Editor
Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
GWERU City Council (GCC) has proposed a $4,1billion 2022 budget, an increase by 30 percent compared to last year.
The budget if approved will see residents and businesses forking out more in rates and service charges.
Council is this year operating a $3,2 billion budget whose performance rate is just 70 percent as residents and companies are defaulting on paying their bills.
The local authority was owed $361 million by residents and more than $550 million by businesses as at September 31 this year.
The residents through their associations are questioning the logic in increasing the 2022 budget when the residents and businesses are struggling to pay the present rates and service charges.
According to the proposed budget schedule, the 30 percent increase will see application fees for shop licences increasing to more than $8 000 from $6 000.
Trading licences will increase to over $25 000 from $19 000.Town burial for an adult increases to more than $4 400 from $3 300 while burial for children increases to $2 220 up from $1 708. Burial of a still born is pegged at the same rate as that of children.High density burials for an adult will increase to $2 220 from $1 708 while that of children increases to $1 480 from $1 139.
Hawkers’ licences according to the proposal will increase to $3 390 from $2 608.Vendors licences increase to $1 695 from $1304. Ambulance charges per call increase to $2 542 up from $1 956. Plan approval fees for licensing and related purposes other than construction are being increased to $10 713 up from $8 241.
At council clinics, family planning consultation fees will be pegged at $254 up from $196. On the water account, the fixed charge for domestic consumers in both the high and low density suburbs is set to increase to $370 from $285.
The council’s communications and public relations officer Ms Vimbai Chingwaramusee said the proposed 2022 budget has been necessitated by the need to improve service provision.
“We are obliged to provide quality services to ratepayers who include residents and businesses and we need adeqaute resources for that. What is however out is just a proposal which is yet to be debated by the residents and others stakeholders,” she said.
Residents and Ratepayers Association director Mr Cornelius Selipiwe said council should have maintained the same budget since residents and businesses are struggling to pay their bills.
“While we appreciate and understand the need for some kind of increase on budget considering the economic factors, there is need to consider the salaries the people are getting. Council has evidence that residents and businesses are failing to pay their bills hence it is collecting just 70 percent of the revenue,” he said.
Mr Selipiwe said increasing the present budget by 30 percent will just worsen the plight of residents and businesses and will result in more defaulters.
“We need to look at the challenges they are facing. What is going to happen is that the debts will increase as more ratepayers join the defaulters’ list,” he said.
Gweru United Progressive Residents and Ratepayers Association Director Pastor David Chikore said having figures which did not translate to cash did not serve any purpose.
“This 30 percent increase will see more ratepayers defaulting resulting in council collecting far much less,” said Pastor Chikore.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter