Acting metro spokesperson Themba Gadebe, says from Tuesday, April 8 to April 23, Ekurhuleni will hold Integrated Development Plan (IDP) and Budget meetings with communities in the municipality’s 20 customer care areas.
“The meetings in various areas across the metro will start at 6pm to discuss the draft IDP and Budget with communities.”
“Among the issues expected to top the agenda are the proposed new tariffs, the new valuation roll, credit control and indigent policies as well as budget proposals related to capital projects across Ekurhuleni,” explains Gadebe.
Gadebe says residents will use the occasion to influence how development in Ekurhuleni should happen and which programmes must receive the correct funding.
“The IDP is a process through which municipalities prepare a strategic development plan which extends over a five-year period.”
This, he says, then guides and informs all planning, budgeting, management and decision-making processes in the municipality.
“It is important to note that the meetings follow a consultative process on the review of the municipal’s IDP with its 101 wards during September to October last year, to get proposals on the draft IDP 2014-2018 and draft Multiyear Budget 2014 to 2017.
“The meetings seek to achieve acceptability of these proposals by communities before the draft IDP and Budget will be approved in May,” says Gadebe.
The IDP and Budget documents will be open for comment from now until April 30, and can be viewed electronically at any time, on www.ekurhuleni.gov.za, or at public libraries and Customer Care Centres during office hours.
Comments can be filled in and dropped into Budget Tips boxes at the mentioned offices or e-mailed to budgettips@ekurhuleni.gov.za.
Public enquiries can also be made by contacting the IDP office on 011 999 6760/1/2/3.
Meetings in Boksburg will be held as follows: Religious forums, Community Based Organisations, Non-Governmental Organisations will meet at the Boksburg City Hall on April 9 at 10am, on April 16, Business Forums will meet at the Boksburg Civic Hall at 10am and Boksburg residents are invited to attend on April 23 at the Boksburg City Hall 6pm.
