Coffs Harbour City Council has urged the Australian Government to honour its promise to restore annual inflation increases to the local government Financial Assistance Grants (FAGs) payments in the upcoming 2017-18 Federal Budget.
Coffs Harbour Mayor, Councillor Denise Knight, said the funds have played an important role in helping Council provide vital services and infrastructure for the Coffs community.
“The grants are an important part of our revenue base, allowing us to provide and maintain the services and facilities that the community needs,” she said.
“The Commonwealth’s decision in the 2014 Federal Budget to freeze indexation of this valued funding means Coffs Harbour has received a reduced level of FAGs for the past three years, putting a noticeable dent in our cash flow and impacting on the services we’re able to provide.
“The Australian Government committed to restore indexation in this year’s Federal Budget and we’re asking them to uphold their promise.
“Politicians in Canberra must restore indexation of FAGs so that Council can meet our community’s demand for services and provide the level and quality of service that they deserve.”
Coffs Harbour City Council has joined other councils nationwide in the ‘End the Freeze’ campaign to ensure the Federal Government honours its promise to restore indexation to FAGs in the 2017-18 Federal Budget.
More information about the campaign is available here.
