This budget is about infrastructure and core services while keeping rates as low as possible.
Last year we made our rate system fairer and found $32 million of year on year savings that have put our budget in a much stronger position.
This year we've tightened our belt further by saying no to $26 million of new funding requests.
We've also frozen the budgets of branches across council, asking our staff to do more with less and only making exceptions where required to by law or regulation.
Waste truck picking up rubbish from bins outside homes. Mayor Raven speaking in Council chambers.
By investing where it matters most and finding savings where we can, we've been able to deliver a $35 million surplus.
That buffer will allow us to absorb shocks like increased fuel prices and natural disasters without passing that on to ratepayers.
Disaster clean up, trucks and tractors and Council staff clean up flood affected road and bridge.
All that hard work means we've been able to keep this year's rate increase smaller than last year's.
We're keeping costs down when cost of living pressure is hurting our community the most.