The City of Casey has adopted it’s 2018-19 Budget, which funds the necessary services and projects for the community of today and helps set Council up to deliver for our growing city in the future.
At a Special Council Meeting on Tuesday 26 June 2018, Council adopted a $441.6m annual budget, along with a suite of other documents for the next financial year. The budget features:
- A $122.7m Capital Works Program (CWP) which funds much-needed infrastructure for our new and growing communities and renews facilities in our established suburbs.
- A $318.9m operating budget so Council can deliver important services to more than 327,000 residents who call Casey home including waste management and child, youth and family services.
- A rate increase of 2.25% in line with the rate cap, with the waste charge rising by just $24, among the lowest increases of any Victorian Council in light of the global recycling crisis.
City of Casey Mayor Geoff Ablett said Council was proud to still be able to deliver a strong budget this year whilst facing some challenges.
“Despite the challenges of the cumulative impact of rate capping and faster than forecast growth, this year we’ve still been able to continue our strong investment in the critical projects and high-level service delivery for our community,” he said.
“The budget funds the services, projects and initiatives outlined in our 2017-21 Council Plan, which sets out how we plan to deliver on our ambitious vision to create Australia’s most liveable city.
“The CWP funds much-needed infrastructure for our new and growing communities including building two new family and community centres in the Kilora and Ramlegh Springs estates, as well as improving facilities in our established suburbs, such as the development of a new soccer pavilion at Jack Thomas Reserve and significant upgrades at Sweeney Reserve.
“We’re also continuing to invest in our digital transformation to make it easier for residents to do business with us and so we can deliver smarter, simplified, streamlined business processes and technology to support Council’s future operational needs.”
However, the Mayor warned that this year’s budget offered a window into a difficult future.
“This is the first budget in which the cumulative pinch of rate capping is clear and is impacting future decision making,” Cr Ablett said.
“This Budget represents Council reaching a tipping point where the future will be characterised by the increasingly difficult job of bridging the gap between the infrastructure and services the community expect and what Council can afford to deliver.
“This year Council is balancing some priority areas and investing in our service planning and reviews and our internal systems to better set us up to tackle the foreseeable challenges ahead, so we can deliver and meet the growing demands of a community tipped to exceed 500,000 residents by 2041.”
To view the 2018-19 Budget visit www.casey.vic.gov.au/budget.
2018-19 Budget snapshot:
- $441.6m total budget
- $318.9m operating budget
- $122.7m million capital works program
- 2.25% average general rate increase in line with the rate cap and $24 increase in waste charge.
- Based on recent property valuations conducted by the Victorian Valuer General, this means the rates and waste charge for residential properties will increase by an average of $64 this year.
Capital Works Program highlights:
- $13.35m to renew and build family and community facilities
- New Family and Community Centre in Kilora Estate, Clyde North ($3.73m)
- New Family and Community Centre in Ramlegh Springs Estate, Clyde North ($3.1m)
- Continued construction to complete the Autumn Place Hub, Doveton ($1.42m)
- $27.78m to renew, upgrade and construct new recreational facilities
o New District Level Soccer Pavilion at Jack Thomas Reserve, Narre Warren North ($4.08m)
o Pavilion upgrade for soccer, cricket and football at Lawson Poole Reserve, Cranbourne ($3.13m)
o Continued construction of new netball courts and upgrades to existing courts at Olive Reserve, Eumemmerring ($1.81m)
- $28.36m to improving Casey’s expansive road and path network
o Planning, design and construction of a missing link of Glasscocks Road, Hampton Park ($7m)
o Stage 1 (South Gippsland Highway intersection) construction of Ballarto Road from South Gippsland Highway to Five Ways Road, Cranbourne East ($4.17m)
o Creation of recreational Troups Creek shared path, from north of Princes Highway to Saffron Drive, Narre Warren ($520,067)
- $4m to building and improving our playgrounds and open spaces
o Development of recreation park land, called Bayview Park, inspired by the 1000 Steps at the old Narre Warren Landfill Site, Narre Warren North ($530,800)
o Stage 2 development of Livvi's Place Playground, Lyndhurst ($265,500)
- $4.4m to continue Council’s digital transformation to leverage technology, innovation and data to meet the demands of our future size.