94The budget

94 The budget (1) A Council must prepare and adopt a budget for each financial year and the subsequent 3 financial years by— (a) 30 June each year; or (b) any other date fixed by the Minister by notice published in the Government Gazette. (2) A Council must ensure that the budget gives effect to the Council Plan and contains the following— (a) financial statements in the form and containing the information required by the regulations; (b) a general description of the services and initiatives to be funded in the budget; (c) major initiatives identified by the Council as priorities in the Council Plan, to be undertaken during each financial year; (d) for services to be funded in the budget, the prescribed indicators and measures of service performance that are required to be reported against by this Act; (e) the total amount that the Council intends to raise by rates and charges; (f) a statement as to whether the rates will be raised by the application of a uniform rate or a differential rate; (g) a description of any fixed component of the rates, if applicable; (h) if the Council proposes to declare a uniform rate, the matters specified in section 160 of the **Local Government Act 1989**; (i) if the Council proposes to declare a differential rate for any land, the matters specified in section 161(2) of the **Local Government Act 1989**; (j) any other information prescribed by the regulations. (3) The Council must ensure that, if applicable, the budget also contains a statement— (a) that the Council intends to apply for a special Order to increase the Council's average rate cap for the financial year or any other financial year; or (b) that the Council has made an application to the ESC for a special Order and is waiting for the outcome of the application; or (c) that a special Order has been made in respect of the Council and specifying the average rate cap that applies for the financial year or any other financial year.