By Callum Ludwig
Yarra Ranges Council has put out its draft budget for 2024-25 for community consultation at the Tuesday 23 April council meeting, including millions of dollars set to be channelled into the Upper Yarra.
The council’s draft budget has to go out to the public for feedback each year before being adopted prior to the end of this financial year.
Streeton Ward Councillor Andrew Fullagar spoke to the motion and said he recommends the community take it up and read it.
“In my opinion, it’s a noticeable improvement in clarity of language to ensure that the overall picture is clear and readily readable and captured, and without the need for a deep dive into the figures, especially the opening number of pages, which read quite well on their own,” he said.
“Despite the deficit, I think residents can be confident that we remain in a strong financial position, if you look at our balance sheet and our cash flow perspectives, it’s all looking well so on that basis, I’m very supportive of this budget.”
The council’s draft budget indicates a total revenue of $253.6 million and expenditure of $235.8 million, resulting in a total $18.8 million surplus but will operate at an underlying deficit of $3.5 million with the funding related to the Council’s Capital Works Program excluded. Yarra Ranges Council estimates this will only be for the short term as their future financial projections are expected to return to positive.
Council estimates it will spend $68.3 million through the Capital Works Program, of which $25.1 million will be rates funded, $1.6 million from contributions from various sporting clubs or other community groups and the rest through borrowings and external grants.
Another significant point to notice was the adoption of a rate rise increase of 2.75 per cent, the cap for council rate rises this year set by the Essential Services Commission, which Yarra Ranges Council Mayor Sophie Todorov said was not a decision made lightly.
“The biggest one (decision) for us initially was considering the adoption of the 2.75 per cent proposed rate cap at the onset of all of this, understanding that we are operating in very tight fiscal circumstances,” she said.
“We’re all impacted by the cost of living pressures and also by increasing material costs as well and many other factors as well, and we still, despite this, need to focus on our essential services and the delivery of all those essential things that our 160,000 residents need and appreciate.”
In the Upper Yarra, a number of significant projects will receive or continue to receive funding, including:
$8.2 million for the continued development of the Warburton Mountain Bike Destination (a multi-year project with State and Federal government funding),
$339,000 for easement creation to improve drainage for Britton Road in Seville,
$316,000 for drainage improvements to address flooding and erosion on Schoolhouse Road, Woori Yallock,
$219,000 for footpath rehabilitation on McKenzie King Drive, Millgrove
$516,000 for pavement rehabilitation work to address pavement deficiency on Swales Road, Macclesfield, the road accessing the new Cire Community School campus in Monbulk from the direction of the Upper Yarra (multi-year project, using Roads to Recovery funding).
The public toilet facilities in Wandin North and the McKenzie King Playspace in Millgrove are also up for renewal.
A few road sealing projects will proceed on Alfred Street and John Street, Wandin North ($1,493,000 still to be spent), the Alpine Street group in Warburton ($130,000), the Bell Street group in Seville ($135,000), the Station Road group in Seville, ($75,000), Tainton Street and Railway Parade, Wandin North ($1,148,000), the Victoria Road group in Seville ($740,000) and Gruyere Road in Gruyere between Harvey Close to Darling Road ($363,000).
$171,000 will also be spent to renew and upgrade parts of the Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail.
