MOSSEL BAY NEWS - At the last Council meeting for 2014, held on 27 November, councillors and senior management bid farewell to the Director: Financial Services, Mr Herman Botha, who retired at the end of November.
The Executive Mayor, Alderlady Marie Ferreira, thanked Mr Botha for the building blocks he cemented into the foundation of sound financial management that is a key feature of the Mossel Bay Municipality.
"Your contribution and the direction you gave can never be undone," the mayor added.
Mr Botha, in turn, said the best years of his working life were the last nine years in service of the Mossel Bay Municipality, also the term he served under the first ANC Council.
"Tell the people of Mossel Bay what a privilege it is to have a municipal council and administration that is so well-managed," he implored the Mossel Bay Advertiser.
Council dealt with a lengthy agenda, the most salient of which were, among others:
Although legislation requires Council to annually review the Disaster Risk Management Plan (DRMP), this year it included a community based risk assessment, a Response to state funerals Contingency Plan and a Load Shedding Contingency plan.
The Load Shedding Contingency Plan deals in detail with risk assessment relating to load shedding and with response coordination and activation, while it also includes plans to mitigate the effects of load shedding on the business continuity of the municipality itself. Specific planning is also included for dealing with floods in the Little- and Great Brak River areas.
The Social Relief Policy deals in detail with emergency relief assistance to persons affected by natural disasters, whilst the Disaster Risk Management Plans also provides planning for Social Conflict Management, with specific focus on xenophobia.
Approval of the Long Term Financial Plan
Council appointed INCA Portfolio Managers to facilitate the development of a long term financial plan. This was a request from Provincial Treasury and they provided grant funding of R400 000 for the project. The long term financial plan combines and integrates financial strategies to achieve the ability of the municipality to meet the current and future service delivery needs of the community, whilst remaining financially sustainable in the long term.
Council also approved the Liquidity Policy and the Borrowing, Funds and Reserve Policy.
Approval of the Pavement Management System
Council approved the Pavement Management System (PMS). This provides guidelines for a standardised condition evaluation process for all roads in Mossel Bay. Council will consider the results of the PMS during the annual budget process and use it as a plan to eradicate the road maintenance backlog. Starting in the 2015/2016 financial year, the visual condition assessments will be repeated every three years.
Council activities scaled down
Council activities will be scaled down from 5 December 2014 to 9 January 2015. Full authority was delegated to the Executive Mayor to make decisions during this period.
ARTICLE: NICKEY LE ROUX, MOSSEL BAY ADVERTISER JOURNALIST
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