Council & Business
9 March, 2023
Energy Breakthrough entry fees to increase
Teams participating in Energy Breakthrough (EB) this year will pay a higher entry fee — with the change expected to increase revenue by about $24,000. At the ordinary council meeting held on February 28, Central Goldfields Shire councillors...
Teams participating in Energy Breakthrough (EB) this year will pay a higher entry fee — with the change expected to increase revenue by about $24,000.
At the ordinary council meeting held on February 28, Central Goldfields Shire councillors unanimously backed the move to increase the event’s entry fees to cover the rise in operational costs.
According to the report tabled at the meeting, the EB Governance Group concluded that a hike of 15 to 20 percent would assist in meeting the additional expenses while ensuring that the amended fee amount was accessible for school participants.
“As a current member and past chair for the last two years of the EB Governance Group, it is never an easy decision to increase entry fees and this recommendation was not taken lightly by the group,” Cr Liesbeth Long said.
“However, following a two-year break due to the COVID pandemic which saw entries rolled over at the same fee as 2020 and due to an increase in event operational costs, [the group] is proposing an increase in entry fees for participating teams in 2023.
“Looking at the increased [rates], between 10 percent and 20 percent, one perhaps might think that they are big financial increases but if I may point out the maximum 20 percent fee increase and that’s only for one team — the innovation in technology teams — this amount is from $40 per team to $50 per team so it’s a $10 increase.”
EB, Cr Long said, is the shire’s biggest event and brings many visitors and financial benefits to local businesses.
“Last year’s EB in November saw 4600 students in 214 teams attend from 97 schools,” she said.
“It created an estimated $3.3 million in economic impact for the region and an estimated 10,000 supporters of friends and family attended the event.
“These figures are fantastic however it is important that the event remain viable and with the increase in costs associated with holding this event, it is unfortunately necessary to request council to endorse the increase.”
The report tabled at the meeting noted that at 2022 entry levels the change in fee will increase revenue by $24,960.
“It is expected, however, that entry numbers will increase in 2023, as COVID impacts start to normalise, seeing this figure increase further,” the report said.