GWERU City Council on Friday unveiled a $36 million budget, a slight increase from the 2013’s $34m, which has seen rates and tariffs maintained at the current levels.
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The $36 168 154 budget will see salaries and allowance pegged at $13 767 018, which is 38% of the total expenditure, a drop from last year’s 40%.
The salary figure shows council is still struggling to maintain staff costs within a threshold of 30% of the total revenue budget.
Presenting the budget at a stakeholders meeting, council finance director Edgar Mwedzi said given the economic hardships faced by residents, there will be no increases in tariffs except for slight changes to abattoir fees.
“Given that consumers and ratepayers have been finding it difficult to settle their rates and services bills to the extent that their outstanding debts had to be written off as bad debts during 2013, no changes have been made to the tariff structure except for abattoir fees. The change has been made to align with other operators,” Mwedzi said.
Stakeholders at the meeting called for council to carry out a job evaluation exercise saying the workforce at town house had ballooned in the last few years.
Mwedzi said resources were hindering the job evaluation exercise adding that once they are available, council would carry on with the exercise.
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“It is long overdue. For the past 10 years, we have wanted to carry out a job evaluation, but lack of funds stopped us since the exercise is very expensive to undertake,” he said.
The budget was unanimously adopted by councillors on Wednesday before Friday’s stakeholders’ consultation.
It now waits to be taken to residents through their various wards this weekend before being presented to the government.
