Published: 5 April 2024

Eurobodalla Council’s General Manager Warwick Winn will embark on another round of financial updates for the community, starting in Narooma on Tuesday 9 April.

Warwick will be accompanied by finance director Stephanie Speedy and Mayor Mathew Hatcher.

Mr Winn says its important residents understand Council’s financial situation and what is being done to stabilise budgets and find a path to financial sustainability.

“Last year in May we publicly outlined our financial situation, and that is, we are facing a serious and ongoing deficit in our general fund.

“Almost 12 months on, we’re ready to explain to the community the strategy we’ve developed and the actions we’ve taken already to step our way out of this.

“We are focused on core business and have managed to reduce the operating deficit by carefully reprioritising and staging our annual work plans,” Mr Winn explained.

“We’re also using grant funds to support already programmed works and services, rather than adding extra projects to our to-do list.

“We’ll explain the internal budget re-set conducted right across Council early this year; the savings we’ve made and the service changes we’ll propose for 2024-25 as a result.”

Mayor Mathew Hatcher said the General Manager and staff have the full support of councillors as the “living within our means” mindset beds in.

“Councillors want to leave the organisation in better financial shape than we found it,” he said.

“I encourage residents to come along and hear first-hand from Warwick and Steph how we’re going about that.”

Community members who would like to hear more are invited to attend. Each session is one hour and includes time for questions and discussion. Light refreshments will be served from 5.15pm with the presentation to start at 5.30pm. Bookings not required – just show up.

• Tuesday 9 April, 5.15pm, Narooma Library
• Thursday 11 April, 5.15pm, Moruya Library
• Tuesday 23 April, 5.15pm, Batemans Bay Library

Mr Winn and Ms Speedy will host a further round of financial talks with the community in May to focus on Council’s draft 2024-25 budget while it is on public exhibition. Further details will be provided closer to the time.

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