Serowe — The Serowe District Council (SDC) has approved a budget of over P233 million for the 2026/2027 financial year.
Presenting the recurrent and development budget during a special full council meeting recently, finance committee chairperson, Mr Nametso Senku, stated that the SDC had been allocated a budget ceiling of P233,982,000, out of which P83,951,728 had been earmarked for the implementation of various development programmes and projects within the district
Mr Senku, who is also the Councillor for Mabeleapudi ward, advised councillors that due to fiscal constraints, the development budget was largely directed toward the completion of ongoing projects.
"This approach aims to ensure value for money and minimise cost escalations," he said.
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He encouraged councillors to prioritise existing projects and utilise available resources efficiently while improving overall project planning and implementation. He further indicated that the 2026/27 budget was anchored on several key strategic priorities, which included improving the quality of life for citizens through social protection and essential services, strengthening infrastructure development and maintenance to support economic activity, promoting economic diversification and private sector-led growth as well as enhancing efficiency in public service delivery and expenditure management. Mr Senku warned of the risk of declining public confidence if service delivery standards were not maintained.
"In light of these challenges, it is imperative that we take deliberate and strategic action. There is a need for urgent engagement with the Ministry of Local Government and Traditional Affairs to review the Revenue Support Grant ceiling and to advocate for supplementary funding to address critical operational gaps," he said.
Despite the approval, councillors attached strict conditions to the budget proposals, noting that the current framework presented significant risks. They expressed concern over shrinking recurrent budgets, citing that the 2026/2027 allocations were insufficient to meet rising operational costs, including salaries and infrastructure maintenance.
Councillors argued that the continued reduction in grants would suffocate service delivery. They emphasised that the council must transition toward smarter, self-reliant initiatives to remain sustainable, suggesting a broader revenue base and a more robust collection strategy.
A major point of contention was the recent transfer of Primary Health Care (PHC) facilities back to the district from the Ministry of Health. Councillors decried the move, noting that facilities were not adequately budgeted for. They expressed concern over the imbalance between personnel and operational expenditure, particularly regarding the inclusion of PHC personnel costs, which were not part of the previous financial year's obligations. BOPA
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