The Golden Plains Shire Council Budget 2022/23 (Budget) was adopted by Council at its meeting on 28 June 2022. The Budget details Council’s continuing commitment to delivering more than 70 services for the Golden Plains people and community, as well as maintaining its assets and infrastructure under the rate cap of 1.75%.
Read Council's Budget 2022/23
Key Features of Budget 2022/23
- $45.7 million to deliver more than 70 services to the Golden Plains community
- $18.8 million investment in capital works, which is Council’s largest ever annual program
- $1 million for resealing local roads
- $800,000 for improvements to local roads
- $700,000 for gravel re-sheeting of local roads
- $400,000 for stormwater drainage improvements and 250,000 for kerb and channel projects
- $1.1 million for community safety
- $838,000 for community development
- $513,000 on youth development
Road and Community Infrastructure Projects in Budget 2022/23
Road Rehabilitation Project in Meredith, Haddon, Dereel and Maude: $1.5 million from the Australian Government’s Roads to Recovery Program to rehabilitate the following roads: Thompson Road in Maude, Slate Quarry Road in Meredith, Kopkes Road in Haddon, and Mt Mercer-Dereel Road in Dereel.
Replacement of bridges in Rokewood and Werneth: $600,000 towards the project to replace the Two Bridges Road bridge in Rokewood, the Wilgul-Werneth Road and Howells Road bridge in Werneth, and the Wurrook Road bridge in Rokewood.
Northern Streetscapes Project in Linton, Scarsdale and Smythesdale: A $1.3 million project to deliver the first stage of the Northern Streetscapes plan, funded by $650,00 from Council and $650,000 from Berrybank Windfarm, with the financial commitment made over two financial years: 2022/23 and 2023/24.
Meredith Skate/BMX/Play Project: A $740,000 project, funded by $320,000 from Council and $420,000 from the Victorian Government.
Rokewood Community Hub: A $3.96 million project, funded by $442,00 from Council, $18,000 from the Rokewood Recreation Reserve Committee of Management and $3.5 million from the Victorian Government.
Linton Recreation Reserve Oval Replacement: A $880,000 project, funded by $680,000 from Council and $200,000 from Victorian Government.
The following projects will be delivered by Council in 2022/23, if joint government funding is secured:
Replacement of bridge in Russells Bridge: A $2.1 million for the replacement of the bridge on Russells Bridge Road in Russells Bridge. The project is to be funded by $315,000 from Council and $1,785,000 from Australian Government’s Bridges Renewal Program.
Rokewood Recreation Reserve Netball/Tennis Upgrade: A $650,000 project, to be funded by $216,000 from Council and $434,000 from Victorian Government.
Golden Plains Tracks and Trails Strategy: A $60,000 project, to be funded by $30,000 from Council and $30,000 from the Victorian Government.
New Initiatives in Budget 2022/23
- $800,000 for landfill rehabilitation works in Teesdale
- $500,000 for drainage and car park works in Inverleigh township
- $100,000 for cypress tree replacement program
What’s New in Budget 2022/23
- Rate Cap: 1.75% rate cap in 2022/23. The cap in 2021/22 was 1.5%.
- Municipal Charge: $250 per household, down from $310.60 in 2021/22.
- Waste Management Charge: $389 per household in 2022/23. This is a $10 increase from 2021/22, following the negotiation of a new kerbside collection contract and a $20 per tonne increase in the Victorian Government’s Landfill Levy.
Following a review and community engagement in 2021, Council adopted its Rating Strategy 2022-2026 at its February 2022 meeting. Under the new strategy, the following changes are effective from 1 July 2022:
- Increase to the vacant land differential from 200% to 205%
- Increase to the farm broadacre differential from 85% to 87.5%
- Increase to the farm intensive differential from 90% to 95%
- Increase to the Bannockburn business property differential rate from 120% to 130%
- Reduction of the Municipal Charge from $310.60 to $250