Let’s minimise the increase to our rates

Times are tough for our community, and as we approach the final stages of approving the 2025-26 budget for our town, it’s important we keep the rise to council rates to an absolute minimum.

Thank you to everyone who provided their feedback on the draft budget – the largest and most consistent of which, was to ensure the proposed rate revenue increase of 6% comes down.

I agree with this and will continue to work with other elected members and the administration to find savings within the draft budget, in order to bring down the rate revenue required.

But, if we reduce the size of our revenue too much, we won’t be able to invest in our asset renewal and maintain services the community expects from us - and sadly in the world we live in today things like concrete for footpaths and bitumen for roads aren’t getting any cheaper.

So finding the right balance is key.

Tuesday evening, we will formally receive the community feedback. The final budget including the final rate increase will be decided by council on 23 June.

You can read the full feedback from the community here: https://www.gawler.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0038/1819595/10-06-2025-Special-Council-Agenda.PDF