Cardinia Shire Council adopted its 2025–26 Budget and Capital Works Program at the Council meeting on Monday 16 June.
The budget is the first annual budget of the new Council term and strives to reflect key community priorities identified as part of the engagement process for the development of the new 2025–29 Council Plan, which is currently underway.
Cardinia Shire Mayor Cr Jack Kowarzik said Council had worked hard to develop a budget that aligns with the aspirations of the community, responds to community needs and ensures responsible management of Council resources.
"Council's 2025-26 Budget strives to deliver the services, projects and infrastructure our community needs, while ensuring we remain financially sustainable in the long-term," Mayor Kowarzik said.
"We recognise the ongoing cost of living pressures facing our community, and we are committed to keeping rates and charges as affordable as possible while continuing to deliver essential services and projects."
The budget includes a general rates revenue increase of 3 per cent, in line with the State Government rate cap. Once again, Council has chosen not to apply to the Essential Services Commission (ESC) for a variation on the rate cap.
"The local government sector continues to face significant financial sustainability challenges, including the rate cap, increased costs to deliver projects and services, underfunding of Developer Contributions and Infrastructure Contributions Plans for growth councils, and cost shifting from other levels of government. We're also concerned about the impact on our community, especially local farmers, as a result of the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund (ESVF) legislation, which will require councils to collect the levy on behalf of the State Government through the annual rates notice," Mayor Kowarzik said.
"Council is budgeting for a $3.4 million adjusted underlying deficit, which includes borrowing $17 million to support investment in the capital program for asset renewal. Overall, Cardinia Shire's debt position remains low, reflecting Council's responsible financial management to date."
Mayor Kowarzik said a key focus of the budget was renewal of existing assets through the capital program to ensure these assets continue to support the needs of our growing community into the future.
"Cardinia Shire is one of Victoria's fastest growing municipalities, welcoming an average of three new households to our shire every day. We're also an incredibly diverse shire, with more than 800km of unsealed roads and nationally significant farming areas. With our current asset base valued at $3.1 billion, it's so important that we invest our resources carefully to ensure these assets are available for our whole community and that they stand the test of time."
The 2025–26 Budget includes $74.2 million towards a number of significant capital works projects. Of this $55.6 million is allocated for asset renewals and upgrades, while $18.6 million will help fund the construction of new and expanded assets.
