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Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
BEITBRIDGE Municipality residents will pay 50 percent more for rates and service charges starting next January after the local authority approved a $1,3 billion budget for 2022.

Beitbridge Deputy Mayor, Councillor Agness Tore presented the proposed budget on Friday evening saying the council had not reviewed its rates and service charges since 2018.

She said the 2022 budget was prepared on a cost-recovery basis to enable council to continue providing the required services. In coming up with the 2022 budget estimates, Cllr Tore said, key stakeholders were engaged.

These include residents from the six wards, political parties, women and youths, businessmen, small to medium enterprises (SMEs), religious leaders and different residents’ associations.

The process also took into consideration council’s ability to continue offering services on a cost-recovery basis.

“The budget estimate seeks to address key service delivery issues like water and sanitation, roads, social services and housing, (and) at the same time ensuring sustainable service delivery provision,” said Cllr Tore.

She said the budget was prepared on a programme-based budgeting (PBB) model to strengthen the linkage between funding and results, with a view to improving effectiveness and efficiency of public expenditures.

“We have taken into consideration the existing macro-economic fundamentals and are also informed by the need to provide services at a cost-recovery basis,” said Cllr Tore.

The tariffs since the 2020 supplementary budget are stated in local and foreign currency.

The council anticipates a total income of $1,35 billion and a total expenditure of $1 348 250 267 giving a surplus of $2 million.

The surplus, said Cllr Tore, satisfies requirements of the Public Finance Management Act  which is important in both budget formulation and implementation.

The council intends to spend $382 million on governance and administration, $500 million on water, sanitation and hygiene, $293 million on social services, $92,2 million on roads, $71,1 million on public lighting.

“The municipality has also committed funds for the construction of a new water pipeline between Genter and Tower Lane to address perennial water losses along that route, a new primary school, clinic, upgrading sewer reticulation facilities and public lighting at crime red zones, among other projects,” she said.

Chairperson of the Public Works Committee Cllr Takaitei Mahachi urged residents to pay their bills to enable the local authority to meet its obligations.

“We have noted with concern that we are carrying forward the same debtors year in year out. It’s very critical that we establish a relationship where each party (council and ratepayers) commits to meeting its side of the bargain.

“This entails ratepayers paying for services and council delivering services,” said Cllr Mahachi.

As at September 30, residents and ratepayers owed council $364 million, with $148 million being water arrears, $97 million being rates and service charges arrears, $111 million being stands servicing arrears, those leasing council houses owe council $1 million and businesses owe council $6 million for business licences. – @tupeyo