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NewsDay

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Gweru cuts salaries budget

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Gweru City Council has proposed to slash salaries and allowances for its employees in the 2012 budget from the current 47% to 37% of total expenditure. According to latest council minutes shown to NewsDay, the approximately $25 million 2012 budget, which was increased from last year’s $19 million, will see general expenses topping the list […]

Gweru City Council has proposed to slash salaries and allowances for its employees in the 2012 budget from the current 47% to 37% of total expenditure.

According to latest council minutes shown to NewsDay, the approximately $25 million 2012 budget, which was increased from last year’s $19 million, will see general expenses topping the list of expenditures at 39,3% while salaries and allowances come second on 37,64%.

Last year, the wage bill topped the list of priorities, a move that saw ratepayers clashing with city fathers.

Capital charges are on third, taking up 12,28% while repairs and maintenance take up 9,46% and capital outlay is at 1,59%.

Finance committee chairperson Trust Chinene said council was committed to channelling resources to key areas for the benefit of ratepayers.

“Despite the economy still not performing to expectations, it is our endeavour to see that we provide residents with good service delivery.

“We had expected to cut salaries to at least 32%, but we finally settled on 37% of the total budget.

“We will, however, continue working extra hard to see that key areas are prioritised,” he said.

Council proposed to increase tariffs in 13 areas, key among them water charges from last year’s 14 cents per cubic metre to 60 cents.

“Gweru water has been the cheapest. Currently we are charging 14 cents per cubic metre while it costs 40 cents to bring it to the community, thus making a loss of 26 cents per cubic metre delivered.

“The current uneconomic tariff has resulted in a budget deficit in the water account of $850 071 for 2011.

“Unicef will withdraw from supplying free chemicals to City of Gweru in 2012, thus we need to source them on our own,” read the minutes.

Unlike previous budgets, next year’s budget was passed without much debate or conflict as ratepayers approved most of council’s proposals.