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Brighton Gumbo Business Reporter
BULAWAYO residents’ arrears to council have breached the $100 million mark, two years after the local authority scrapped millions owed to it by ratepayers since 2009 in compliance with a 2013 government directive.

A top council official, Audrey Manyemwe, told residents and the business community during a 2016 budget consultation meeting at the Small City Hall yesterday that the debt had risen by average 12 percent this year.

She said this as council unveiled a proposed $153 million budget for 2016 . “Debtors’ balances per ward as at September 29 this year stands at $107,110,591 and the growth in debt for 2015 is 12 percent,” said Manyemwe.

According to council, the highest rates and rent payment default had been incurred by Ward One at $19 million followed by Ward Six at $15 million.

Ward One covers the city centre, which is bordered by Masotsha Avenue, Robert Mugabe Way, 1st Avenue, Simon Parirenyatwa Street, Railway Avenue and Basch Street.

Ward Six covers Bellevue, Newton West, Barham Green, Montrose, West Somerton, Southwold, Donnington and Belmont.

The least owing residents are in Ward 14, which covers mainly Njube and Lobengula suburbs.

Ward 14 owes a total of $975,034 having increased by about 11 percent and contributing a portion of total debt of 0,9 percent.

The BCC has been rolling out budget consultation meetings across its 29 wards in a bid to get residents and interested parties’ input to service delivery priorities for next year.

Manyemwe said council was proposing a budget of $153,611,644 with a revenue budget of $107,633,672 and a capital budget of $45,977,972.

“The 2016 budget prioritises water, health, sewerage, housing, roads, education, public lighting, social services, fire and ambulance,” she said.

Manyemwe said in coming up with the budget, council considered factors linked to the government’s economic blueprint, the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim-Asset).

The blue-print takes into account economic indicators such as decline in formal employment and the vulnerable groups so that they could have the ability to access basic services.

The BCC adopted a $158 million budget for 2015.

Its expenditure budget was pegged at $107 million with capital budget at $51 million.