Council has listened to our community's needs and priorities in developing a new Council and Health and Wellbeing Plan 2025-29, which shapes our draft budget for 2025-26.
The Council and Health and Wellbeing Plan is our promise to the Knox community. It sets out what we will do, shaped by our aspirations, needs, values and priorities, and informs long term financial planning.
This budget is significant for Knox as we launch our new plan for the next four years. It brings to life the first-year actions responding to the changing needs of our community.
We heard from over 1,100 people about what is important to you. We spent time with and listened to a community panel - a representative group of residents who helped shape our new Council and Health and Wellbeing Plan and this budget.
This engagement has reaffirmed that our 10-year community vision:
'Knox: where we connect with our people and our environment, ensuring they are safe, supported and have every opportunity to thrive.'
Based on this vision, the community engagement has helped shape our six Council and Health and Wellbeing Plan themes and strategic objectives for 2025-29:
- Enhancing community connection to vital services and resources
- Embracing connection, inclusion and diversity
- Caring for and enhancing our environment
- Leading, listening and governing responsibly
- Being a strong voice for safety
- Planning our future city
It also informed our eight health and wellbeing priorities:
- Reduce harm from alcohol, smoking, vaping, and gambling
- Promote equal participation opportunities and celebrate our diverse community
- Support access to affordable and nutritious food
- Create opportunities for active living
- Advocacy for equity across our community
- Support prevention of all forms of violence by promoting safety and respect
- Build resilience to emergencies and threats, including climate change
- Improve social connection and mental wellbeing
The proposed budget invests $122.4 million in services and facilities, focusing on our community's priorities.
Highlights of the 2025-26 capital works program, totalling nearly $58 million (including nearly $16 million worth of projects carried forward from 2024-25), include:
- $10.7 million on local roads and bridges
- $9.2 million to upgrade sporting pavilions, including Park Ridge Reserve, Wally Tew Reserve, Tormore Reserve and Carrington Park
- $4.8 million to improve footpaths and cycling paths
- $4.7 million to maintain Council buildings, early years facilities and community halls
- $4.5 million to improve sports fields and training facilities, including Marie Wallace Bayswater Oval
- $3.6 million to renew critical drainage infrastructure throughout the municipality
- $1.5 million for improvements at Wantirna Reserve, Carrington Park, Lewis Park, Kings Park, Gilbert Park and The Basin Triangle
- $1.4 million to upgrade car parks, including at Wantirna Reserve and Knox City Tennis Club
- $1.3 million to renew local playgrounds, including Bluett Reserve (Ferntree Gully) and Suffern Reserve (Bayswater)
Overall rates revenue will rise by an average of 3% in line with the Victorian Government's rate cap. Rate increases (or decreases) experienced by individual ratepayers may differ from the 3% depending on the value of their property based on independent valuations.
Council has retained the rate rebate of up to $100 for eligible pensioners, on top of the Victorian Government's pensioner rebate.
The draft Council and Health and Wellbeing Plan 2025-29, Financial Plan 2025-2035, Revenue and Rating Plan 2025-29 and Annual Budget 2025-26 have been released to the Knox community for public questions and feedback by Monday 9 June.
All questions and feedback received will be provided to councillors for consideration prior to the adoption of the suite of documents on Monday 23 June.
