Strong investment in community facilities in Kingston’s draft Budget

24 April 2018

Kingston Council has released its Draft Budget for 2018-19 which features a host of fantastic new community facilities and quality services while meeting the Victorian Government’s rate cap.

Mayor Steve Staikos said the proposed draft budget would continue to invest in high-quality facilities and services to help make Kingston a stronger, fairer and more connected community.

“We’re investing heavily to ensure our community has access to well-maintained facilities, local sports clubs are supported, the environment is protected and that vital infrastructure like roads and footpaths are well maintained,” Cr Steve Staikos said. 

“Council has again worked hard to deliver a financially responsible and balanced Budget. Due to our strong history of sound financial management, Kingston Council is well-placed to respond to the Victorian Government’s rate capping policy which will see average rates rise by no more than 2.25%.”

“Council will continue to drive efficiency improvements to contain and reduce costs without negatively impacting on the high-quality services we provide to the community.”

Budget highlights:

Investing in high-quality community facilities with a range of projects including the Dingley Village Neighbourhood House and Library improvements ($3m), creation of a new public piazza in Mentone ($3.4m), building a new Acacia Avenue Preschool ($1.5m), new books for our libraries ($1m) and renovating the Washington Drive Kindergarten ($460,000).

Caring for our environment including park and open space improvements ($2.5m) maintaining 90,000 trees in local parks and streets ($1.8m), planting 2500 new trees ($900,000), helping maintain Patterson Lakes ($300,000)

Improving Kingston’s Green Wedge with a new park to be developed at Elder Street South ($1m), new walking and cycling paths ($1m) plus landscape maintenance ($200,000).

Promoting an active and healthy community through major investments in local parks and sporting facilities to strengthen local sporting clubs and encourage greater participation. Projects include stage one funding for the Mentone Pavilion redevelopment ($3.4m), finalising the new Cliff Sambell Pavillion ($1.3m), completing the Bay Trail shared walking/cycling path ($2.7m), netball courts at Regent’s Park ($600,000) and upgrades to existing sportsgrounds and lighting ($1.3m)

Protecting and enhancing the foreshore with projects including the Edithvale Life Saving Club redevelopment ($2m), the Mentone Coastal Precinct Plan ($200,000) and foreshore drainage works ($200,000).

Maintaining vital community infrastructure including road ($6.6m) and footpath repairs ($700,000), drainage works ($2.8m) and investing in a new depot to more effectively roll-out all of Council’s parks, home maintenance and depot services and to cease renting multiple facilities($5.6m)

Victoria’s recycling industry is facing an uncertain future following China’s recent changes which have raised required environmental standards of recyclables accepted for processing. As a result, local councils across the state are facing increasing costs with some Councils increasing waste charges by more than $60. Kingston Council has a new company collecting waste from October 2018 and at this stage we have been advised that it will be able to accept recyclables at previously expected costs.  Therefore Kingston property owners will incur only an $8 increase to cover increased costs from July (the start of the financial year) until the new contract begins in October.

The community is invited to a public information session on the Draft Budget at 6pm on Wednesday 9 May at Council’s Cheltenham offices at 1230 Nepean Highway.

The Draft Budget can also be viewed at Council’s Customer Service Centres, at your local library and online at kingston.vic.gov.au

Written submissions on the Draft Budget are invited by 5pm, Friday 25 May via:

A special Council meeting will be held on Monday 4 June to consider written submissions and residents are invited to speak to their submissions at this meeting.  The Draft Budget will be considered for formal adoption at a Special Council meeting on Tuesday 12 June.