Mount Gambier City Council will formally consider all feedback on the Draft 2023/2024 Annual Business and Budget at a special council meeting to be held this afternoon (Tuesday).

The community consultation period closed last Thursday.

A special council meeting has been arranged to enable the public to make submissions and ask questions before council adopts the final 2023/2024 Annual Business Plan and Budget and related strategic management plans.

Council saw a decline in its online ‘Have your Say’ consultation statistics.

Council’s Financial Services manager Julie Scoggins said the online site was used as the primary method of consultation to provide ease of access to the community and engagement statistics.

“The Have Your Say website provided links to the full 2023/2024 Draft Annual Business Plan and Budget document, Council Rates fact sheet, and the submission form,” she said.

Statistics show the site had a total of 97 visits compared to 115 for the 2022/2023 Draft Annual Business Plan and Budget consultation.

The public consultation process generated three formal written submissions.

Copies of the written submissions have been made available in the meeting agenda.

The submissions included comment on the rate rise, Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre, parks and playgrounds, road maintenance, and waste and recycling collection services.

“It should be noted that material which may be deemed to be personal, offensive or discriminatory has been redacted,” Ms Scoggins said.

“However, councillors have been provided with the unredacted content to ensure they have received all information.”

No verbal submissions have been requested to take place at the special meeting.