Council’s 2022-23 budget reflects the challenging economic influences

Meander Valley Council has adopted its 2022-23 budget, making a substantial investment in community grants, infrastructure, sport and recreation.

Council will be delivering more than $12.6M in infrastructure projects including a safer school crossing in Deloraine, blackspot mitigation at Moltema, upgrades to Country Club Avenue, a bridge replacement in Montana and an extensive road resurfacing and footpath development program.

Community open space has also featured, with funding for playground renewal work at Westbury’s Village Green and community consultation on phase one of works to redevelop the former Deloraine Racecourse into a recreational precinct.

“Cost of living pressures have also guided our budget this year and we have been proactive in dedicating $100k to support our community grants program and will also be providing a fifty percent discount in fees for regular user groups of Council’s sport and recreation facilities,” Mayor Wayne Johnston said.

Like all in the local government sector, Meander Valley Council has experienced significant increases in costs of construction, maintenance and waste management over the last financial year.

“Waste particularly continues to become more expensive and managing this price trajectory has led us to implement some major changes to reduce cost and environmental impacts for our municipality. The introduction of the State Government’s Landfill Levy from 1 July has also been considered,” Mayor Johnston said.

This years’ budget will see Meander Valley’s general rate increase by 5.95 percent but despite this, Council will be in a deficit position for the 2022-23 financial year.

“We anticipated this when we provided a zero rate increase and delivered our $1.7m COVID-19 support package, but the effects have lingered, given the cost increases we have all experienced in recent times.

“We have been impacted by very challenging economic influences and Council faces the same financial pressures as most other sectors. We have worked hard to balance rising costs with service expectations to minimise the impacts on our ratepayers in every way we can and, comparatively our rates and charges remain some of the lowest in the State,” Mayor Johnston said.

Meander Valley Council expects to return to a balanced budget over the course of their ten year financial plan.