The Sunday News
Sandra Tekere, Sunday News reporter
THE Bulawayo City Council has proposed a $158,9 million budget for next year, a 3,5 percent increase from this year’s $153,6 million as the local authority seeks to improve service delivery in the city.
The proposed budget which was tabled at the Small City Hall last week, however, showed that the revenue budget is expected to go down from $107, 6 million to $105,5 million as the council takes into consideration the economic hardships residents are facing.
Revenue budget is the allocation and estimates directly linked to income that is generated by residents paying for various services provided by the local authority. Capital budget which was at $46 million last year will now go up to $53,5 million. Capital budget relates to the money which the city will get through grants and loans.
According to the proposed budget rates and general services would be the biggest income generators at $41,15 million up from $37,68 last year followed by water which is expected to raise $31,3 million although this would be less than $32, 75 for this year. On expenditure, staff costs are expected to gobble $58 million. Water projects would be allocated $19 million down from $22 million while the health department will get $26 million up from $25,17.
The council is also expected to reduce spending on education to $5,88 million from $7,72 million this year.
Presenting the proposed budget at a special council meeting, the council’s acting research and contract manager Mr Isaac Matare said the local authority was aware of the difficult economic challenges that people were facing hence coming up with a budget that does not put the burden on citizens.
“The 2017 revenue budget proposal of $105,6 million seeks to address infrastructural construction, maintenance and repairs, servicing of loans, as well as providing for the regular operations of the council. The capital budget is pegged at $53,5 million.
The projects will be funded from grant funding. Council appeals to all citizens of Bulawayo to pay their bills. Currently the city is not in a position to invest as there are no surplus funds. The increase in debtors is a sign that some stakeholders are not honouring their obligations,” he said.
