2022/23 Annual Budget endorsed

Published on 20 June 2022

The Annual Budget 2022/23 has been endorsed following two conversations with the community to inform its development.

Council will spend $209 million over the next 12 months to support the community now, while also planning for a growing community – with our population forecast to increase from 85,000 to an estimated 150,000 by 2041 leading also to an increase in demand for services.

Of this, $85.35 million is allocated to Capital Works, to support the development and renewal of facilities and infrastructure, and $123.6 million to support continued delivery of services and programs across the municipality – such as immunisations, Maternal and Child Health services, community centre and library programs, and public community events and activations.

Capital Works funding includes:

• $13.77 million for improvements of roads and laneways
• $13.62 million for the upgrades of public parks, open space and streetscapes
• $6.947 million for the development and upgrade of footpaths and bike paths across the municipality
• $5.6 million for the redevelopment of the community pavilion at Henry Turner South Reserve
• $3.7 million for the upgrade of the play surface and lighting at Hansen Reserve
• $2.36 million for the development and upgrade of recreational, leisure and community
• $2 million for upgrades to underground drainage infrastructure facilities
• $500,000 for roadway, footpath and street work upgrades to the Joseph Road Public Realm in Footscray
• $456,000 for public place recycling, bin replacements including parks bins and waste service new bins

Other major projects, previously committed to which are due to commence in 2022/23 include:

• $13 million for the redevelopment of the iconic Footscray Town Hall into a community and civic precinct
• $7 million for the design and installation of a new splash park at Maribyrnong Aquatic Centre
• $200,000 for the next design phase of NeXT: Footscray Library, Community and Cultural Hub

$4.3 million will also go to implementing improvements to the Western Lawn at Footscray Park to support active and passive community use, in line with community feedback and the Footscray Park Masterplan.

This year Council turned community engagement on the Annual Budget on its head, seeking comments and priorities from the community early on, to help inform the contents of the document, as opposed to only seeking comments on a prepared Draft. This resulted with more than double the amount of submissions received over two phases of community engagement this year, compared to last year in total (Annual Budget 2021/22) – with most of the 52 submissions having been accommodated in the coming budget in some form.

Council also recognised community requests to support active transport; more and better open space, more public toilets, trees, exercise equipment and public lighting; and improvements to the road network – through dedicated funding allocations in the Capital Works budget towards footpaths, bike paths, road, public amenities and some major projects for public outdoor spaces.

To continue to support community recovery efforts, maintain long term financial sustainability and to fund economic stimulus through capital growth, Council will also pass through a 1.75% increase in total rates revenue, in line with the rates cap set by State Government.

Preparing the Annual Budget is a fundamental element of local government planning, requiring Council to balance ratepayer expectations and community demands for services and infrastructure, while also considering costs and legal and policy requirements.

The Annual Budget 2022/23 leverages off the four-year Council Plan (adopted in June 2021), and the Financial Plan (adopted in October 2021), and confirms Council’s service deliverables and planned income over the course of the next financial year.

For more information about the development of the Annual Budget 2022/23 and community engagement, visit www.yourcityyourvoice.com.au/budget-2022-23

For more information about the Annual Budget, visit www.maribyrnong.vic.gov.au/budget

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