Friends and neighbours, while AlburyCity considers changes across the entire city, our focus is securing the future of the Community Centres.
Centres provide essential services and support in our neighbourhoods but might face significant proposed cuts. Your input in the “AlburyCity Services What’s important to You?” survey is the most powerful tool we have to ensure which services are maintained.
The deadline to participate is Friday, 9th January!
The Council is trying to make sure the city’s budget is balanced. To do this, they are looking at cutting costs in areas where AlburyCity spends much more than other cities and focusing money only on what the community considers the most important, necessary services. It’s about budgeting smarter so essential services don’t run out of money later. However, you need to have your say via an online survey and community centres are on the list for consideration.
⭐ Main Point: The Impact on Our Community Centre
The most direct threat to our local operations falls under the Community and Social Support Services theme:
- Proposed Action: Reduce Communities service levels by 25%
- Targeted Saving: $800,000
- The Impact: This cut would significantly reduce the operating hours available at community centres. We need you to rank this service as a HIGH PRIORITY to protect our local programs and support networks.
💖 Why Your Survey Response Matters
When you take the survey, you will use a trade-off tool to rank services across various themes. By prioritising the Community Centre’s current service levels, you are voting to safeguard this vital local support.
📋 Full List of Trade-Off Options by Theme
For those who want to understand the choices there are for consideration before completing the survey, here is a list of options you will be balancing. Every choice has a financial impact.
Theme 1: Community and Social Support Services
| Proposed Action (Reduction/Change) | Estimated Annual Saving |
| Reduce Communities service levels by 25% Impacting opening hours of community centres. | $800,000 |
| Reduce or cease general community assistance grants | $485,000 |
| Finance – service level change (Remove rate relief for NFP organisations) | $150,000 |
| Reduce after school care (Children’s Services) Outsource option | TBD |
| Reduce long day care (Children’s Services) Outsource option | TBD |
Theme 2: Culture, Arts & Information Services
| Proposed Action (Reduction/Change) | Estimated Annual Saving |
| Reduce service levels MAMA Outsource option | $750,000 |
| Change Library service levels (reduce hours, programs, projects) | $450,000 |
| Reduce service levels for cultural activation and community development by 20% | $200,000 |
Theme 3: Economic Development & Events
| Proposed Action (Reduction/Change) | Estimated Annual Saving |
| Reduce service levels for economic development by 30% or increase revenue | $600,000 |
| Reduce service levels for visitor economy and experience and tourism | $250,000 |
| Reduce events service levels by 20% | $200,000 |
Theme 4: Parks, Environment and Green Spaces
| Proposed Action (Reduction/Change) | Estimated Annual Saving |
| Reduce watering of green spaces (Reduce water use by 20%) | $200,000 |
| Reduce service levels within the Environment Service (minimise education/advocacy) | $200,000 |
| Reduce the number of play spaces in the community (by 20%) | $150,000 |
| Natural areas – service level change (Remove grants) | $20,000 |
| Reduce maintenance of parks and gardens | TBD |
| Reduce maintenance and provision of footpaths | TBD |
Theme 5: Assets, Recreation & Revenue Generation
| Proposed Action (Reduction/Change) | Estimated Annual Saving |
| Leisure facilities (review service levels at sports centregrounds, and aquatics) e.g. Reduce opening hours in winter for swim centres | $200,000 |
| Sport and recreation – service level change (Remove grants) | $60,000 |
| Reduce maintenance and cleaning of town centres | TBD |
| Reduce maintenance and repair of roads | TBD |
| Introduce metered timed parking | N/A (Revenue increase) |
| Raise fees and charges – cemetery, crematorium, airport, leases | N/A (Revenue increase) |
Every survey response is a vote for what stays and what goes. Let’s work together to secure the future of Community Centres!
🔗 Click here to share your priorities before January 9th: AlburyCity Services, What’s important to You? survey
Copies of the AlburyCity report detailing further information is available at TCC – 02 6043 1588 or you can download this link to the report: Accelerated Service Planning Options Report and Stakeholder Engagement Plan pgs 1 – 27
