Residents and business owners will find it easier and more cost-effective to access Council services, information and support thanks to Logan City Council's 2022/2023 Budget.
Council will undertake a series of IT upgrades that will improve and strengthen digital capacity, provide value-for-money outcomes for ratepayers and increase cyber security.
As part of Council's focus on being a 'smart city', the budget also provides funding to establish a specialised team that will simplify the process of applying for Council's community grants.
Around $2.7 million is granted each year by Council to individuals and organisations to improve their local communities and enhance the natural environment.
The 'Building on today for a brighter tomorrow' budget also nurtures the City of Logan's next generation.
The highly successful Catapult program, which develops interest in entrepreneurship among students aged 12 to 15, will continue for another two years.
City of Logan Mayor Darren Power said Council was committed to putting in place programs to create a bright future for Logan while not forgetting ratepayers' expectations for value-for-money in budget spending.
The budget allocates $3.3 million over the next year to address the most urgent of the IT upgrades, which will eventually involve 22 different projects.
This expenditure supplements an IT investment of $29.2 million, which is covered by savings and other funding reserves.
"Many of our existing networks, servers and applications have reached end of life," Councillor Power said.
"In some cases, the providers don't even service the equipment anymore, and we need to modernise our IT environment urgently to continue delivering vital Council services.
"IT upgrades of this size unfortunately are not cheap, but an upgraded IT system, with more modern, cyber-safe technology, will increase efficiency within Council and create a more streamlined service experience for the community."
Continuing the drive to improve customer satisfaction, Council will also develop a data analytics system that evaluates customer interactions.
"This will assist Council to build a greater understanding of customer needs," Cr Power said.
"This, in turn, will make services more efficient and could lead to further cost-saving measures being identified."
The Catapult program in local schools has been a huge success in recent years and has opened career pathways and job opportunities for enterprising teens from a range of social backgrounds.
"Catapult has helped hundreds of children across Logan develop a love of innovation and put them on paths to realise their career and life dreams," Cr Power said.
"That's why we're committing $277,000 to ensure this program continues to bring schools closer to the community and helps prepare our next generation for a brighter future."
Other 'smart' initiatives in this year's budget include:
- A Value for Money program to identify savings across Council and develop strategies to ensure services are delivered in the most cost-effective way. The program will be run through the Office of the Chief Executive Officer, Darren Scott, and will report to Council at the end of every financial year
- Council will continue to push its business case for a digital data centre to boost internet connection speeds
- Council will continue its coLab Growth Hub partnership with edu-tech company, G01 and the US-based Network for Global Innovation
Logan City Council has delivered a record $1.014 billion budget for 2022/2023 as the city's population grows towards half a million people in the next 15 years.
