Council Approves 2022/23 Budget

Golden Plains Shire Council Budget 2022-23 Adopted
Budget
Council Meetings
Media Release

Last night (Tuesday 28 June), Council adopted the Golden Plains Shire Council Budget 2022/23 and the Revenue and Rating Plan 2022/23.

Mayor Cr Gavin Gamble says Council is pleased to adopt its annual budget and looks forward to delivering the initiatives as detailed in the financial plan.

“With the rate cap of 1.75% and the new Rating Strategy, the Council Budget 2022/23 will deliver more than 70 services for the people and communities of Golden Plains Shire, while progressing the 21 strategic objectives and 83 key actions of the Council Plan 2021-2025. 

“This year, Council launched a new engagement initiative seeking input on community priorities for the Draft Budget 2022/23 in February. Thank you to our residents who provided feedback during the early engagement and those who made submissions on the Draft Budget, all contributing to a comprehensive budget process.”

In February, Council launched early budget engagement with a community survey and online engagement sessions with Councillors. The Draft Budget was endorsed by Council in April for public exhibition and was open for submissions from 29 April to 30 May. Five written submissions were received, and there were no requests by submitters to present their submissions to Councillors at a Special Budget Meeting on 7 June. 

In adopting the Council Budget 2022/23, Council approved the following amendments to the Draft Budget, reflecting issues raised and grants received since the Draft Budget was endorsed:

  • $115,000 reduction in garbage costs to reflect final kerbside collection costs with corresponding amendment to garbage revenue; 
  • $519,000 additional rate revenue from modelling using certified Stage 4 valuation data; 
  • Profit on Lomandra Drive land sales revised to $3.1 million (6 lots); 
  • $403,000 additional from the Australian Government’s Financial Assistance Grant program; and
  • Workforce turnover ratios included for 2021/22 forecast, 2022/23 budget and 2023/24, 2024/25 and 2025/26 projections.

The final Council Budget 2022/23 is available at: goldenplains.vic.gov.au/budget

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. 

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.

The following project 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. 

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 Council’s Budget 2022/23

  • Rate Cap: 1.75% rate cap in 2022/23. 
  • 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
     

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