Cardinia Shire Council Budget 2022–26 adopted

Council received 95 submissions in this latest round of community consultation on the 2022–26 proposed Budget.

Cardinia Shire Mayor Councillor Jeff Springfield once again thanked the community for participating in the multiple rounds of consultation, which have helped shape and inform the budget and Council’s strategic documents.

“Thank you to everyone who took the time to review the draft budget and submit their comments. Your feedback is important to ensure we are putting our energies and resources toward the right things, at the right times, to best serve our community,” the Mayor said.

“We’re committed to making informed and strategic financial decisions that best serve our community and to deliver in the areas that are most important to you. Council has delivered a budget that reflects our shared priorities.”

Budget highlights

To deliver on the community’s priorities through the Council Plan 2021–25, Council prepares four-year rolling budgets, which undergo community consultation and are adopted annually.

The budget reflects Council’s prudent fiscal management, which has enabled more than $318m of capital works over four years to be included in the budget and all vital community services to be maintained or enhanced.

The capital works program for the financial year 2022–23 is $99.49m (including $30.17m carryover from 2021-22), with $47m budgeted for all roads and intersection upgrade programs, including the $16m ‘Princes Highway Intersection upgrades’ and $10m ‘Sealing the Hills’ programs funded in partnership with the Australian Government.

Other capital works budget allocations for 2022–23 include:

recreation, leisure, and community facilities – $10m drains and bridges – $1.5m footpaths and cycleways – $1.9m parks, open space and streetscapes – $5.5m property, including construction and upgrades of buildings, such as sporting pavilions – $27m

The 2022–23 budget also includes allocations for the following key projects:

Better Local Roads - Princes Highway intersection upgrades – $16m Better Local Roads - Sealing the Hills – $10m Roads Sealing Program – Better Local Roads: Strategic Sealed Roads – $7m Cardinia Youth Hub – $3.9m Officer District Park Masterplan – $3.3m Koo Wee Rup Bowls & Community Facility – $3.6m Toun-nun Integrated Children’s Facility (Brunt Road) – $3.2m Kurmboon Integrated Children’s Facility (Timbertop) – $2.5m Cora Lynn Pavilion – $2.3m Bunyip Soccer Sports Field Redevelopment – $1.5m Worrell Reserve Master Plan design – $150k

General rates in 2022–23 will increase 1.75 per cent, in line with the Victorian Government’s rate cap this year. This figure is (0.75%) lower than the December 2021 Melbourne Consumer Price Index (CPI), which puts additional pressure on Victorian councils to deliver services with significantly reduced revenue.

Reflecting the Victorian Government’s 12.5 per cent increase to the landfill levy, the residential garbage charge is $326.80 for a 120L bin in 2022–23. The green waste charge will increase marginally from $126.60 to $129.00.

For more information and to view the 2022–26 Budget, visit www.cardinia.vic.gov.au/budget