Costs

The assessment revealed the following: -

• Training of process controllers not yet adequate, even though there is a significant improvement since the previous assessment.

• Special attention should be given to process optimisation (especially disinfection, to ensure compliance with authorisation limits.

Despite the areas requiring attention to improve the Green Drop rating of the Municipality, it achieved the second highest average score for the Eastern Cape Province.

It is furthermore, the Municipality’s intention to address the areas requiring attention in the forthcoming financial year.

2.3.3 Basic social services package for indigent households

The Constitution stipulates that a municipality must structure and manage its administration, budgeting and planning so as to give priority to the basic needs of the community and to promote their social and economic development. The basic social package is an affirmation of the Municipality’s commitment to push back the frontiers of poverty by providing social welfare to those residents who cannot afford to pay, as a result of adverse social and economic conditions.

The initiatives carried out by the Municipality in this regard are detailed below.

Service Social Package Approximate

of the communities and the pressure on this vital funding source is ever increasing due to the high increases in specifically the electricity tariffs.

2.4 OVERVIEW OF BUDGET RELATED POLICIES

The MFMA and the Budget and Reporting Regulations require budget related policies to be reviewed, and where applicable, be updated on an annual basis.

2.4.1 Financial Management Policies

The policies were adopted by the Council in May 2010. The policies govern the financial management functions of the Municipality, such as budgeting, virements, financial statements, etc.

2.4.2 Review of credit control and debt collection policies

The Collection Policy was reviewed and approved by Council in March 2011. A review of certain components of the policy was considered necessary to achieve a higher collection rate.

The 2013/14 MTREF has been prepared on the basis of achieving an average revenue collection rate of 95% on current billings, excluding ATTP subsidies. In addition, the collection of debt in excess of 90 days has been prioritised as a specific strategy, in order to improve the Municipality’s cash position.

2.4.3 Budget Adjustment Policy (part of Financial Management Policies)

The adjustments budget process is regulated by the MFMA and is aimed at entrenching increased levels of discipline, responsibility and accountability in the financial management practices of the Municipality. In order to ensure that the Municipality continues to deliver on its core service delivery mandate, the mid-year review and adjustments budget processes are utilised to ensure that underperforming functional areas are identified and funds redirected to performing functional areas.

2.4.4 Supply Chain Management Policy

A revised Supply Chain Management Policy was adopted by Council in December 2011. The policy is currently being reviewed.

2.4.5 Cash Management and Investments Policy

The Cash Management and Investments Policy was amended by Council in December 2005. The aim of the policy is to ensure that surplus cash and investments are adequately managed, especially the funds set aside for the cash backing of certain reserves.

2.4.6 Tariff Policies

The different tariff policies provide a broad framework for the determination of tariffs. The different policies were approved on various dates, whilst a consolidated tariff by-law is in the process of being finalised.

All the above policies are available on the Municipality’s website, as well as the following budget related policies:

• Asset Management Policy;

• Property Rates Policy;

• Funding and Reserves Policy;

• Borrowing Policy;

• Basic Social Services Package (Assistance to the Poor Policy);

• Financial Management Policies, which includes virement policy.

2.5 OVERVIEW OF BUDGET ASSUMPTIONS

Budget assumptions/parameters are determined in advance of the budget process to allow budgets to be constructed to support the achievement of the longer-term financial and strategic targets.

The municipal fiscal environment is influenced by a variety of macro economic control measures.

National Treasury provides guidelines on the ceiling of year-on-year increases in the total Operating Budget, whilst the National Electricity Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) regulates bulk electricity tariff increases and the Department of Water Affairs (DWA) regulates bulk water tariff increases. The Municipality’s employee related costs are also influenced by collective agreements concluded in the South African Local Government Bargaining Council. Various government departments also affect municipal service delivery through the level of grants and subsidies.

The following principles and guidelines directly informed the compilation of the Budget:

• The priorities and targets relating to the key strategic focus areas as determined in the IDP.

• The level of property rates and tariff increases to take into account the need to address maintenance and infrastructural backlogs, including the expansion of services.

• The level of property rates and tariff increases to ensure the delivery of municipal services on a financially sustainable basis.

• An assessment of the relative human resources capacity to implement the Budget.

• No budget allocation has been made to programmes and projects, unless the respective programme and project plans have been submitted by the relevant Executive Directors.

• The need to enhance the municipality’s revenue base.

• No loan funding is available to support the Capital Budget, in view of financial affordability considerations.

• No growth in revenue sources has been provided for in view of current consumption trends in municipal services.

• No growth in property rates income has been provided for, in view of the depressed property market.

The Municipality faced the following significant challenges in preparing the 2013/14 – 2015/16 Budget:

• Reprioritisation of capital projects and operating expenditure within the financial affordability limits of the Budget, taking the cash position into account;

• Maintaining revenue collection rates at the targeted levels;

• Allocation of the required budget provision for the rehabilitation and maintenance of infrastructure;

• Allocation of the required operating budget provision for newly created infrastructure and facilities, with a consequential impact on rates and tariff increases;

• Increased costs associated with bulk electricity and water purchases, placing upward pressure on tariff increases to consumers. Continued high tariff increases may soon render municipal services financially unaffordable;

• Depleted Capital Replacement Reserve, impacting on the Municipality’s ability to fund capital

expenditure from internal sources.

The multi-year budget is therefore underpinned by the following assumptions:

Assumptions

2013/14