HIBISCUS Coast Municipality Council was called to a special meeting on Thursday. The meeting was to discuss and approve the consolidated budget for the new Ray Nkonyeni Municipality for the 2016/2017 financial year.
The total budget for the Ezinqoleni and Hibiscus Coast municipalities, which both form Ray Nkonyeni is R982.8 million, with a projected annual operating income of R837.2 million, annual expenditure of R836.3 million.
With a number of issues raised by opposition parties wanting explanations on a few adjustments, which chief financial officer, Nolubabalo Gqola, asked council to approve from the 2015/2016 budget, it took council time to approve the consolidation budget.
Gqola explained that adjustments to the budget will cater for entries that will go through as a result of the year-end process in preparation of the annual statement in which she presented to council on the day.
“No money will be taken from council, but since both Ezinqoleni and HCM budgets were approved in May, they will both still run with the same budget from 1 July until September before the municipalities join.
HCM speaker Cllr Ronnie Nair then asked council if they approve of the consolidated budget for Ray Nkonyeni and by 24 votes to four DA votes, the consolidated budget was approved by council.
