Beitbridge Town council ZWL$11,8 billion budget approved
Ellen Mlambo
TWO NATIONS REPORTER
BEITBRIDGE – The Minister of Local Government and Public Works, July Moyo has approved Beitbridge Town Council’s 2023 $11,8 billion budget (US$19m).
Finance Director Anymore Mbedzi confirmed the approval and added that the budget rose by 15% in US$ terms.
He said the increase is mainly attributed to assessment rates.
“The budget has gone up by 15 percent and the increase is mainly attributed to assessment rates. We now have a general valuation role that has given us the slight increase in rateable properties,” said Mbedzi.
Tariffs remain unchanged in US$ but there will be however changes in Zimbabwean dollar due to the fluctuation of the rate.
Priorities of the budget include Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) projects and roads. WASH has a total allocation of RTGS$3,7 billion whilst roads have an allocation of ZWL$2,3 billion.
He bemoaned the poor revenue collection.
Mbedzi said as at September 30, 2022, revenue collection on service charges was 10 percent and this had a negative impact on service delivery.
He said in order to rectify the poor revenue collection, the local authority will do extensive stakeholder engagements, ward profiling, institutionalising revenue collection, decentralisation of revenue collection, use of ICT (LADS payment plan module, pay now, installation of prepaid water meters, negotiating and making payment plans, engagement of lawyers for non-residential debtors.
He said that the budget is people centred as the budget involved extensive input from the residents.
