Surf Coast Shire Council is preparing to consider its draft 2024-25 Budget, which has a strong focus on delivering core services and investing in key facilities.
The proposed draft budget - to be considered at the 23 April 2024 Council meeting - features an ambitious $52.4m capital expenditure program, $11m of which is on new projects including a Great Ocean Road bike route from Duffields Road to Strathmore Drive in Jan Juc.
The remaining $41.4m is ongoing capital works, headlined by two exciting facilities: Winchelsea Pool and Surf Coast Aquatic and Health Centre.
There is a focus on local roads and footpaths, with more than $13 million to make it easier and safer for people to move in and around their communities. As well as sealed and unsealed road renewal across the shire, Coombes Road is planned to be widened from Ghazepoore Road to Messmate Road ($2.2m) and numerous footpaths have upgrades planned, such as Moggs Creek's Boolooral Reserve, Anglesea's Paringa Nature Reserve, and Willis Street in Winchelsea.
Playgrounds at Moriac's Newling Reserve, Jan Juc's Bob Pettitt Reserve and Torquay's Ocean Acres, and Torquay Skate Park are just a handful of Council's community assets and facilities proposed to be renewed through a total $19.6m.
There is $862,000 for local initiatives to deliver Council's climate emergency response. It includes continued rollout of the solar and energy transition program ($340,000); assessing resilient relief centres to support the community in emergencies ($35,000); and the inaugural year of the Growing Our Urban Forest program ($190,000). The latter is a five-year program with a total $1m investment that will adapt townships to help withstand the changing climate through tree planting and canopy cover.
Mayor Liz Pattison said the proposed draft budget tackles today's needs while working towards a sustainable future.
"Council provides more than 100 services to the local community, and maintains over $1 billion worth of community assets to support both the growing local population and the 2.5 million people who visit the area annually," Mayor Pattison said.
"The budget is a vital annual document that helps guide what we do and why we do it.
"I look forward to considering the draft budget with my fellow councillors at our April Council meeting."
The draft budget includes a proposed rate increase of 2.75% – complying with the rate cap set by the Victorian Government. Rate revenue is the major source of funding for core services and key facilities in the 2024-25 draft budget, to support the community now and into the future.
The waste service charge funds the likes of kerbside collections, waste disposal, recyclable material processing, local resource recovery centres, and Anglesea Landfill. The rural charge is proposed to increase by $34 to $461, as it gradually aligns to the urban garbage charge ($495 in 2024-25) given delivery costs and services are on par.
Any proposed introduction or increase to fees and charges is to ensure that they are closer to the true cost of providing these facilities, services and programs, and that they are consistent across the shire.
A net surplus of $8.8m is forecast for 2024-25. This is a forecast increase of $18.2 million compared to 2023-24, driven by the transition of parcels of public land to Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority in 2023-24 and an increase in government grants.
Pending Council's decision on 23 April, submissions will be invited on the draft 2024-25 budget. The submission process will be promoted on Council's communication channels and advertised in local media outlets.
View the full April Council meeting agenda and tune in to the live stream of the meeting via surfcoast.vic.gov.au/meetings.
