Council has adopted a Sustainable Living Subsidy Program to encourage our community to embrace sustainable living practices, emphasising waste avoidance, reduction, and reuse. Residents can now apply for rebates on a variety of reusable items, including modern cloth nappies, menstrual and incontinence products. For more information, google Mitcham Sustainable Living Subsidy Program.

The Essential Services Commission of SA (ESCOSA) is SA’s independent economic regulator and advisory body and has been given the task by the State Government of reviewing projected financial performance of all SA councils. Mitcham recently received advice that our performance is ‘sustainable’ in all categories, the highest possible rating, a testament to the sound decisions being made.

The contract for stage 2 of the Dorene Street upgrade has been awarded and construction will be starting soon. The works to improve St Marys/Pasadena are coming along nicely.

Budget discussions for the 24/25 fiscal year are ongoing and there are some tough decisions to be made, with improved services weighed against increased rates. Decisions that have already been taken account for a 1% rate rise already, the necessary upgrades to the Pasadena Community Centre building, and resourcing said facility accounting for the lion’s share of these costs. Several very worthwhile increases in services may not be able to be achieved this year with the staggering cost of living changes that everyone is experiencing.

A new tree maintenance team would improve Council’s ability to proactively prune our tree stock, instead of constantly reacting to resident requests. It comes at the cost of approximately $400,000 per year, or a rate increase of 0.61% to residents. This will have to happen sooner rather than later, as Council has seen a 55% increase in requests for tree maintenance since 2020, with recent climactic events having a significant impact.

One of the most frequently raised requests is an improved standard of street sweeping. Council could run a new street sweeper vehicle at a cost of $215,000 per year, or a rate increase of 0.33% to residents.

Park and reserve maintenance could be maintained better! An extra mowing crew could be formed to increase the frequency of mowing, but this costs $333,000 per year or 0.51% rate increase to each resident. Footpaths and roads could similarly be better maintained with a new paving maintenance crew added for $319,000 or 0.49% per resident per year.

Each of these projects is highly valuable but together will costs $1.3 million per year or a rate increase of 2.02%. There are dozens of other projects that hold merit but come at a cost. Inflation means that running Council’s current services will cost an estimated 4.3% rate increase per year and when 1% of current decisions have already been made plus the long overdue upgrades to Mortlock Park which will be made on the 26^th of March, the number can balloon very quick. Tough decisions need to be made about what’s necessary, and what’s not.

St Marys oval is now being watered using storm water runoff from Oakland wetland.

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