THE Ba Provincial Council needs an annual budget of more than $107,000 to run its operations.
While speaking at the Ba Provincial Council meeting in Vuda on Thursday, council administrator Jese Volau said the 107 villages in the province agreed to pay $1000 each to the council.
“From this levy, the council would collect $107,000,” Mr Volau said.
However, he said the council was finding it difficult to collect the village levy on time.
“Since the change in financial year for Government, we begin our financial fiscal year in August and we expect most of the $107,000 to be collected around that time.
“But what we have seen is most of the money collected from each district comes in around October and November.
“For us that is too late.”
He said last year, the council had only managed to collect $33,000.
“I hope the council can see to this and effect some kind of change into how and when we collect the village levy that we have agreed on. “This $107,000 is used to run the basic operations at the council office, some of which include paying staff salary.” He said he hoped collection would improve in the new financial year.
