Shire of Katanning budget green-lit as Piesse Park upgrades near end

The end of Piesse Park’s transformation is in sight, with the Shire of Katanning to fund the completion of several major projects over the next financial year. The 2020-21 budget was endorsed by councillors at last week’s meeting, securing a zero per cent rate increase for ratepayers not affected by changes in unimproved property values. Shire chief executive Julian Murphy said the council had adopted a new financial hardship policy for struggling ratepayers. “To be able to make an attempt to keep the rate increases to a minimum I think was very important to council,” he said “We’ve adopted a financial hardship policy which gives people the opportunity to negotiate with council in the way they pay their rates to give them more opportunity to work through their financial issues.” Mr Murphy said the Shire’s income was reduced slightly this year due to facilities operating at a reduced capacity during the COVID-19 crisis. “We have budgeted on a reduction in income for those community facilities like many other local governments, and we’ve tried to do a zero rates increase which has resulted in less income from rates this year,” he said. “We have received some support grants from the Federal Government, so that has given us some more capital funds to spend, which has provided some opportunities.” About $1 million in Federal funding will help modernise rural standpipes across the Shire, with solar panels and improved card reader systems. Dam catchment areas will also be increased in key locations across the shire. Funds have also been earmarked for community events postponed by the pandemic, including the Katanning Concert in the Park and the Harmony Festival. About $60,000 will be used to support an online marketing strategy and entice people to visit Katanning. Renovations will soon begin on the old Shire administration building to make way for the Katanning Community Medical Centre to be handed over to Southern Regional Medical group early next year. Mr Murphy said this year’s budget was focused on completing major projects across the shire, with $4m earmarked to complete the Piesse Lake development by the end of the year. “We still have to seal roads, finalise footpaths and put in some lighting, CCTV and hopefully we will have some money to put in a toilet block,” he said. A 30-lot residential subdivision will be funded as part of the second phase of the development, which will create seven new aged accommodation houses. Mr Murphy said he hoped to see the Great Southern Aged Accommodation project completed by early next year. “There are four independent living units and there are three key worker houses,” he said. “All those things are happening right now.”