Funding cuts on the table for Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre

At a meeting on Tuesday night, council explored a number of recommendations they may implement for this year’s budget.

Representatives from BREC only recently visited Bunbury City council to be considered for increased funding in this year’s financial plan, and for the coming years.

They said $470,000 would adequately cover operational and maintenance costs.

They were awarded $387,000 in the 2016/17 budget.

And that’s set to be slashed again this year.

The agenda outlined that “Council support the current allocation of $292,608 to the Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre (BREC) as detailed in the Integrated Financial Plan for the 2017/18 financial year”.

Councillor McGuiness, former BREC general manager, expressed immediate concern for the cuts.

“This is a reduction of nearly $200,000 off what BREC has asked for in this next financial year,” he said.

“How many staff are going to lose their job from this?

“Which community groups will no longer be able to hire the centre and what impact will the increase of hire fees have on community groups wanting to use the centre?”

City of Bunbury CEO Andrew Brien ensured council that BREC was not the only local service being considered for funding cuts.

“Every service of council was looked at and there were reductions across the board which were the decisions of council. We looked at libraries in terms of the operating hours and business servicing and waste management was another major one we’ve looked at so far.” he said.

“But its an ongoing process reviewing all our services and looking for efficiencies.”

Other recommendations in the draft IFP include cuts to minor community grants and increases to rates.