Councillors have voted to adopt a “practical and financially disciplined” budget for the 2025-26 financial year as Cook Shire Council focuses on asset maintenance and essential service delivery. Photo: Cape York Weekly.
There are no bells and whistles anywhere to be seen in the 2025-26 Cook Shire Council budget as the organisation focuses on getting back to the basics of delivering essential services and maintaining public assets.
Guided by community feedback that was predominantly against rate rises for new or non-essential works, the council has deferred all non-essential projects for the coming 12 months with what it says is a “practical and financially disciplined” budget.
Mayor Robyn Holmes said the operating budget of $83.5 million, which excludes depreciation, targets key priorities for the community including local roads and bridges, housing, aged care, safety, crime prevention and economic development.
“Council was trying to be really conservative, and I think we came up with a really balanced budget,” she said after the budget was adopted on 8 July.
“Looking forward, it’s going to flow on into the future as well; it’s no secret that we’re very heavily reliant on grant funding, so we’ll still pursue those grants for various projects into the future.”
The council will spend $55.2 million maintaining roads, footpaths, drainage and bridges during the 2025-26 financial year, as well as $14.5m for community liveability operations and $8.3m on the delivery of essential services across its local government area.
Safety improvements on the Ida and May Street intersection is one of the major operational projects flagged for Cooktown over the coming 12 months, as is free pet desexing and a fencing upgrade for the pound.
In Ayton and Bloomfield, the council will continue developing the local footpath network, as well as focus on rectifying draining concerns flagged by residents.
Landfill cell invigoration is in the budget for Coen, while the rehabilitation of Perfume Gully is scheduled for Lakeland in 2025-26.
A $7.62m capital works program, of which about 90 per cent is externally funded through the state and federal governments, will include projects like the Russell Creek bridge deck replacement and Davies Hill/Horseshoe Bend slab renewal ($1.85m), $1.1m for the rehabilitation of the Cooktown Scenic Rim walking trail, and detailed design of future housing infrastructure in Lakeland ($3.73m).
Mayor Holmes said the budget reflected the financial realities of a remote council with a small ratepayer base and limited opportunities to generate own-source revenue.
“We’re investing in the fundamentals and relying on strategic external funding to deliver major infrastructure projects,” she said.
Chief executive officer Brian Joiner added the council would continue to advocate for the Federal Government’s financial assistance grants to be lifted to 1 per cent of Commonwealth tax revenue.
“As a shire, we have a social responsibility that we have to look after a lot of communities that can’t afford the rates and the revenue that we need to be able to sustain the services, but that’s part of our lot in life, and why we’re working with the [Local Government Association of Queensland] to pressure the Federal Government to increase the FA grants back to the 1 per cent, which is really important for marginal councils like us, that just don’t have the rate base and can’t afford to put a 100 per cent rate rise,” he explained.
“We’re looking forward to our first meeting with Matt (Smith) post the election … to bring it to his attention.”
