City of Newcastle is planning another record capital works budget as major works planned for the current spending program are pushed into next year.
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Councillors will on Tuesday vote on exhibiting the draft 2023-24 Delivering Newcastle 2040, which includes a $137.2 million works program that would return a $6.9 million surplus.
The draft budget factors in a 3.7 per cent rate rise in line with the peg set for Newcastle by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) in September last year.
It comes after this year's council budget was revised down by $14.3 million last month, from $132 million to $118 million.
The revision was largely attributed to delays to four major "city-shaping" projects - the Newcastle Art Gallery redevelopment, remediation of the former Astra Street landfill site in Shortland, the development of the Summerhill food and garden organics facility and planning of a plastic, glass and paper recovery facility.
The council had originally planned to spend $50.4 million on those projects before July, and had outlaid $9.6 million at the end of February.
Deputy lord mayor Declan Clausen said at last month's council meeting the city-shaping works would be pushed into next financial year.
The draft 2023-24 budget includes $41.2 million for the four projects, with $22.5 million planned for Newcastle Art Gallery works and $14 million to complete the Astra Street remediation.
A further $6 million will go towards the ongoing Newcastle Ocean Baths revitalisation, which is planned to finish the project's first stage and design the second.
Works will start on the $12 million Foreshore Park upgrade. A shared $5 million has been allocated towards the first stage of a new all-abilities playground and water park and a revamped playground and amenities at Hamilton's Gregson Park.
Just under $7 million will go towards the next stage of the East End upgrade and a local centre upgrade at New Lambton.
Spending on roads, bridges, footpaths has been boosted from $16 million adopted for the 2022-23 budget to $25.6 million next year. This includes $4.2 million for the replacement of Boscawen Street Bridge to help reduce flooding in Wallsend CBD.
City of Newcastle CEO Jeremy Bath said the plan would deliver a second consecutive surplus budget.
"Our current and future budget surpluses will provide funding for unforeseen and future projects in our city," he said.
Newcastle lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes said a key focus was "ongoing financial sustainability alongside the delivery of a high level of essential community services".
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Sage Swinton
Sage Swinton is a news reporter who was born and bred in the Hunter. She has been with the Newcastle Herald since June 2020, and covers Newcastle council as well as other general news.
Sage Swinton is a news reporter who was born and bred in the Hunter. She has been with the Newcastle Herald since June 2020, and covers Newcastle council as well as other general news.
