BY LWANDLE MTHUNZI
The government has approved Victoria Falls City Council’s $13 billion budget for 2023, amid calls for the authority to prioritize addressing issues that affect service delivery.
The council had initially submitted a United States dollar pegged budget, but the government converted it into a local currency budget.
The announcement was made at a full council meeting on Friday through a letter written by the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works and read by finance director Neville Ndlovu.
The letter is dated 18 January 2023.
“I wish to inform you that the honourable Minister (July Moyo) has approved your 2023 budget but with the following observations and comments,”the letter read.
The Ministry said the council is urged to make frantic efforts in recovering debts to ensure better service delivery.
It also encouraged the local authority to learn from Mutare City which has successfully implemented the Local Authority Digital Systems (LADS), a revenue collection system.
“Victoria Falls is urged to raise its collection efficiency from the current 47.7 percent; Victoria Falls City to clear its salary arrears; the local authority to seek assistance from city of Mutare in the implementation of Local Authority Digital Systems (LADS); clear its statutory obligations to avoid its accounts being garnished; finalise the valuation roll by the first quarter of 2023 as council special levies are to be based on the valuation roll.”
Meanwhile, various stakeholders that attended the full council meeting left in disappointment after they were told to leave the boardroom to allow the councillors and management to deliberate a report from the
ministry about allegations levelled against the town clerk Ronnie Dube https://vicfallslive.co.zw/commission-of-inquiry-findings-fail-to-be-tabled-as-victoria-falls-councillors-fight/.
Residents association leaders complained why they were not allowed in when they were the co-complainants alongside mayor Somveli Dlamini.