Chipata City Council has presented the 2018 budget with an estimated cost of 68.9 million Kwacha.
Council Finance Committee Chairperson Naphtali Banda says that about 51.4 million of the budget will come from local revenue, about 11 million kwacha from national grants while 5.6 million kwacha will come from local development funds.
Mr. Banda says that the local authority will spend over 20 million Kwacha on service provision in the year 2018.
He was speaking when he presented the budget estimates for the year 2018 and narrative delimitation of Chipangali and Kasenengwa boundaries for confirmation and approval in the council chamber yesterday.
Mr. Banda says the council has introduced a parking fee by-law, in an effort to increase the revenue base, where taxi drivers will start paying five kwacha per day while ordinary vehicles will be charged 2 kwacha per hour.
Mr. Banda says the council will be setting up 150 ordinary parking slots and 50 taxi slots within the central business district.
He further indicated that the total cost special committee budgeted income for 2018 has increased by 877,000 Kwacha.
And Chipata City Mayor Sinoya Mwale expressed disappointment over the low turnout of residents during the meeting.
Mr. Mwale says he will stop chairing meetings that do not have representation from members of the public.
He says it is important for people to attend council meetings, in order for them to know the developmental plans the council is doing in the city.