THE 2016/2017 DRAFT Annual Budget and Draft IDP review for Overstrand Municipality was tabled on 30 March by Executive Mayor Nicolette Botha-Guthrie and is available to the local community for representations and comment. The total consolidated budget for the coming financial year is R1,151 billion.

The Capital Budget amounts to R76 million of which R54,9 million has been appropriated for the development of infrastructure. 

The increased operating budget is R1,075 billion.

The affordability of tariff increases are of utmost importance to the municipality and the level of services versus the associated cost is a constant consideration.

It should be noted that the proposed tariff increases in service charges, excluding electricity, have been kept below current inflation as measured against the South African Reserve Bank’s latest inflation targets of 6,6 %. Property rates increases by 7,2 %.

Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Mr John Jeffery was pictured delivering a keynote address to a rapt audience at a recent ceremony held at the Overstrand Municipality to mark the official opening of the Hermanus Additional Court.

Wednesday, 16 March 2016:  Since hearing its first municipal case in September last year, the newly established Hermanus Additional Court is now fully operational and is fast gaining recognition and traction for being an effective and efficient operation capable of handling the many cases brought before it on matters such as traffic violations, municipal by-laws and building code infringements, to name but a few.

Stats have shown that up to the end of February 2016, more than 2500 municipal cases have been heard at the respective Hermanus Additional Court, and on a circuit basis in Caledon.

“A CHILD WHO CAN READ IS A CHILD WITH A FUTURE”
a motto that saw Mount Pleasant Library being crowned Best Public Library: Children’s Services

As early as 2011, the staff of the Mount Pleasant Library started a reading programme to improve users’ – especially children’s – reading ability. Initially, this programme focused on the pupils of the nursery school Vrolike Vinkies right next to the library.

The 60 children, aged three to six years, attended age-appropriate story hours and, soon, a further three nursery schools were invited to join in the programme. Working according to a timetable, schools nowadays are visited on a weekly basis, and it is estimated that around 300 children benefit from this programme on a monthly basis.

In recognition of its outstanding achievement and contribution, the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport recently announced that the Mount Pleasant Library is regarded as the province’s best public library in the area of children's services. Runners up were the Brooklyn Public Library and the Valhalla Public Library, both in the City of Cape Town.

Proud chief librarian, Miralda Coert, handed the award to Executive Mayor, Nicolette Botha-Guthrie, during the mayoral meeting held on Wednesday, 24 February 2016. To Ms Coert’s left are Desiree Arrison, Director Management Services, and Don Kearny, Area Manager: Hermanus.

Overstrand Municipality yet again received a clean audit report for the 2014/15 financial year. A “clean audit outcome” is an unqualified audit which implies that the financial statements are free from material misstatements, that there were no material findings relating to the annual performance report and that all key legislation had been complied with.

We have received unqualified audits since 2006/07 and clean audits in 2012/13, 2013/14 and now in 2014/15.

"The attainment of a clean audit is in line with our ultimate goal, namely to maintain a clean administration characterised by good governance, financial compliance and strong internal controls,” said Executive Mayor Nicolette Botha-Guthrie, adding that “to fulfil this goal, we have to continuously improve our business processes in the interest of growth and sustainability.

Quick Guide to Audit Reports and Findings