Annual Business Plan & Budget

The District Council of Ceduna’s Annual Business Plan for 2025/2026 provides an overview of the services, programs and strategic projects Council plans to deliver to the Community in 2025/2026.

The Annual Business Plan has been prepared on the basis of Council focusing on the delivery of the traditional core Council services of Roads, Rates and Rubbish, in addition to the maintenance of existing assets and infrastructure within essential services to the Community. The services provided by Council reflect both its obligations under a range of legislation and the Community’s expressed desire for specific services, facilities and infrastructure.

In developing the 2025/2026 Annual Business Plan, Council has given particular attention to the current volatile economic climate effecting many ratepayers, whilst continuing to provide all of its current services to the Community.

Council plans to introduce new landfill disposal fees at the Ceduna Landfill Site to ensure that the operations of this facility (including ancillary costs) are funded by User Charges rather than continuing to be a burden upon Council’s general rate revenue.

In the context of these circumstances, Council plans a 2.0% overall increase in Council’s General Rate Revenue from existing assessments rated in 2024/2025, in addition to General Rate Revenue derived from new assessments. The planned increase is necessary to offset current and forecast increases in the delivery of Council’s services, whilst Council also attempts to reduce operational costs to minimise increases in rating revenue.

Council plans to apply a General Rate Cap of 12.0% to eligible assessments, to provide reasonable relief from significant increases in general rates resulting from Council’s planned General Rating restructure.

Key elements of the 2025/2026 Annual Business Plan include –

• $0.591 Million Operating Deficit (before Capital Amounts), resulting from Total Operating Revenues of $14.205 Million and Total Operating Expenses of $14.796 Million
• 2.0% increase in Total General Rate Revenue levied on existing assessments
• 12.0% General Rate Cap for eligible assessments
• Overall 2.0% increase in Service Charge revenue (including reduction in one Service Charge)
• $5.928 Million in Capital Expenditure for the refurbishment of existing assets
• $0.407 Million in Capital Expenditure for the construction or purchase of new assets or upgrading of existing assets

$1.3 Million in new borrowings, with repayments of $0.301 Million on existing borrowings.